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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29579304">Serendipity</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/frogygogy/pseuds/frogygogy'>frogygogy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Badlands are wizards so thats pretty epic, Canon compliant in the sense they follow character descriptions, Dream is an elf, Dream will be soft and pining because he is soft, Dreams and Nightmares, Elves, Fae &amp; Fairies, Fantasy, Friends to Lovers, George is a human embodiment of a constellation, George is literally going to be so snarky like come on now, George is not a soft boy, Hurt/Comfort, Karlnap canon there I said it, Knight Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), M/M, NO BETA because i'm built different!, No Smut, Pining, Pining Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Really bad Karlnap angst and also dnf im so sorry, Sapnap is a cool knight, Sapnap is hotheaded and heartbroken, Time Travelling Karl Jacobs, Touch-Starved Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Visions in dreams, but this is not the dream smp canon this is MY world i can make reality whatever i want it to be!, just thought i had to add that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:47:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>57,251</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29579304</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/frogygogy/pseuds/frogygogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Serendipity (n.) - An unplanned fortunate discovery while looking for something else.</p><p>Dream is an elf with an ability to see the future in his sleep. The kingdom of Perforo utilizes his gift for the benefit of the populace, but when Sapnap requires a remedy for his beloved's failing memory, Dream gets visions of a star speckled boy floating in the void with the answers he seeks after.</p><p>or...</p><p>The fantasy AU fic with severe pining that nobody asked for but everyone deserved.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Perforo Premonitions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello! this is my first ever fic?!</p><p>so im so sorry if it sucks</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>mainly exposition!</p><p>most of the stuff is latin puns from google translate and shit so once again im very sorry if i butchered it &lt;3</p><p>pls bare w me im trying my best for the worldbuilding and i swear it will be interesting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Seer services! Seer services! Come and get your seer services from Dream, the elf himself!”<br/><br/></p><p>Town square is experiencing its usual hustle and bustle, what with the marketplace swarming the entrance, and several food stands hoping to make some chump change in the midst. Perforo is quite the popular tourist spot: bundled with textiles, extravagants and the like, but most of all, their ultimate prized treasure is an elf with dusty blond hair, pointed ears and a ceramic mask adorning a corny smile on its front. This was Dream, their village Seer, and their most famous landmark. An aura of mystery surrounded him, which came standard through his mask and the green hooded cloak that he never bothers to take off. His specialty as a Seer is to see the future, but not in the way many people expect. Ironically enough, he sees them through his slumber— hence the name. In the dead of night, he sees visions of potential possibilities, a newfound knowledge of what’s to come, and it’s his choice on whether or not he uses the information to his advantage. Perforo perceives him as a beacon of knowledge, wielding the wisdom so many of the kingdom sought to find. It didn’t help that his mask shielded his identity. Nobody knows his real name, nor what he looks like underneath; nobody, except for the boisterous young warrior named Sapnap yelling at the top of his lungs outside his purple clothed tent.</p><p><br/>Dream groans, dropping his head into his hands. His hands cradle the sides of his mask, his fingertips grazing the tufts of his hair as he lets out a sound of embarrassment. Sapnap continues to release his battlecry, clanging the cowbell with a stick he found on the side of the road. God, he’s so thankful nobody else knows who he really is. <br/><br/>“Sapnap- please,” He whined, but Sapnap didn’t let up. He never seemed like he would anyways. This was what he commonly referred to as ‘advertising’ to the general public, but Dream deemed it to be terrible publicity. “Nobody’s going to pay me if you keep being an idiot.” He huffed, and with that Sapnap paused.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, what was that, Dream?” Sapnap turned on his heel to face him, his eyebrows raised; the cowbell and stick clutched firm in his grasp. “Last I checked, you got stacks of coins, and I mean <em> stacks </em> ,” His right arm was outstretched upwards for effect, his palm splayed away from the sky, “yesterday from… whose advertising? Oh yeah. Mine. Sit your pretty ass down, wear your cutesy little mask and let me do my job.” <br/><br/>Dream looked up from his hands, shooting him a glare, hoping it passed through the ceramic mask. The tent entrance was wide open to allow Dream to peer into the outside world. Immediately, he frowned, watching Sapnap turn back to face the mass of people that’s crowded in front of his tent, unbothered and smiling as he bellowed his praises from the bottom of his gut. Dream skimmed a glance across the crowd, noticing the influx of unfamiliar faces with wide eyes of curiosity. He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. Sapnap did have a point. As obnoxious and brash his advertising may be, Dream can’t deny the effectiveness of his tactics. Sure, his services are a complete cash-grab, since he can only really fulfill their requests in the dead of night, but the songs of praise sung by Sapnap and his small pool of happy customers were enough to bring good enough attention and tourism to Perforo. <br/><br/>The requests were doable; most clients would inquire of their futures in the prospects of financial security, or romantic relationships. The queue of lonely elves lined up against his tent in hopes of gaining reassurance of their failed love lives is definitely a highlight to Dream’s career as the village Seer, but sometimes dedicating your nights to allow hundreds of people a peace of mind can get exhausting. Yet, when those days hit, all Dream can do is half-ass his answers and hope they forget to check up on him in the morning. Unfortunately, today is one of those days.</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap took a bow, dropping the cowbell to the dirt floor as he beamed, “Thank you, thank you. Now, you may have heard of Dream and how he can see your future, but have you heard about how he does it?” A noise of interest sounded from the crowd. Sapnap takes a confident breath before slowing his words in an attempt to milk their anticipation. “How does the wise elf do it?” </p><p> </p><p>Dream had to stifle himself from a snort. Well, this tactic was new. Maybe this salesman pitch would be enough to pump Dream through the day. A distinct murmur fell upon the crowd, whispers bouncing against their woolen garments as they listened intently on what Sapnap had to say.<br/><br/>“Well!” Sapnap clapped his hands together, a cheeky smile on his lips as he winked, “Come on in and find out. Ten coins or your money back guarantee. Who knows? You may get two visions for the price of one. There’s only one way to find out!” Dream’s eyes scanned the crowd, but their curiosity and interest didn’t falter in the slightest. Maybe Perforo tourists were as gullible as it gets. <br/><br/>One of Sapnap’s hands strayed to his back, gesturing a thumbs up to which Dream only shook his head in disbelief. Soon enough, a line was formed and he was back in business. Work flew by quickly; requests of lottery numbers, promotion guarantees, safety for their loved ones, and mindless predictions of their futures filtered through his head with one after the other. His hand cramped at the long hours he slaved away writing down their requests on a loose page of his journal. His handwriting started off elegant and legible, but now has turned to the charcoal equivalent of chicken scratch. Black carbon smeared across his fingers as he wrote down every single detail they sought after, alongside their contact information in a separate document that he’d hope they’d forget about in the morning. <br/><br/>The whole process is tedious, but it’s how he makes his money. Wizards of Perforo had informed the public once that through tests and calculations, they’d concluded that the average elf dreams last for a total of two minutes, and therefore experience several different dreams in their slumber. Of course, after finding this out, Dream took it upon himself to exploit such a loophole and squeeze in quite a bit of visions in the eight hours of sleep he attempts to acquire each night. Sure, when he was an amateur first trying it out, his memory sucked. It purely, completely, and utterly sucked. He would have a gut feeling that he’d seen something he was supposed to be seeing, but then immediately struggle to recall it. He’d gotten help from fellow alchemists, who resided on a segregated section of Perforo called the Badlands, to help with his memory. One person in particular, Bad, a friend from his youth that introduced him to such a study in the first place, took claim for most of the help. Now, he’s perfected his craft and Perforo rewards him highly for it. <br/><br/>Soon enough, the sun sets and the lineup diminishes. By now, Dream’s racked up a total of over a hundred requests, just for the single night. The number doesn’t scare him so much; he’s perfectly sure he’ll remember them all come morning. His journal pages showed wear on its edges, clearly exhausted from his once charcoal pencil that was now reduced to a small pebble of black. <em> Well, all in a day’s work, </em> he supposes. So, he stands up in an attempt to provide his limbs a well-deserved stretch, but immediately falls back into his seat as a numbness shoots through his legs. <br/><br/>“ <em> Fuck </em> .” He whispers under his breath. Had he really been sitting there that long? Dream went to rub at his calves before Sapnap pulled the tent curtain away to let himself in. He entered with a hand over his mouth, biting back a yawn, and the white headband that was usually tied around his head, now tied around his wrist. <br/><br/>“Hey, Dream. Good sales, yeah?” Sapnap flopped down onto the carpet beside Dream, where a pile of cheap pillows he found at the market cushioned his fall. Dream’s tent wasn’t too luxurious or lavish, he still lived in Perforo, after all, but he appreciated the homely atmosphere, while Sapnap appreciated the purple. <br/><br/>Dream nodded, starting to pack up his things into his leather satchel. He leaned down to obtain a metal container, a familiar jingle sounding as he lifted it into his satchel, before letting out a sigh. “Tonight’s going to be a lot of work to remember.” <br/><br/>“Well, you could always start early. The more you sleep, the more orders you can fulfill, right?” Even through Sapnap’s half-asleep state, he still maintains a conversation with Dream. It’s kind of endearing, if Dream is being honest. <br/><br/>“What about you? Karl’s not back yet?” Dream questioned, heaving himself off his chair in a second attempt to resume circulation in his limbs. Sapnap grumbled under his breath, but his eyes had already started to drift closed. Karl’s away most days, which isn’t a problem, of course, but it does make Sapnap awfully clingy in every way possible. Sapnap’s a warrior, so he spends his mornings either training, or scheduled at his duties, but when he’s not doing anything particularly important, he abides his afternoon staying by Dream’s side. Being his personal advertisement is his way of having fun, and if this helps him cope with Karl’s absence, Dream thinks it’s no harm done. </p><p> </p><p>Dream walked on over to where Sapnap dozed off, and plopped himself down onto the fuzzy carpet. The purple was terrible for his eyes, but Karl offered it as a gift last summer, and Dream just couldn’t say no to a thoughtful friend. He pulled down his hood, and unclasped his mask, letting the cool night wind wisp at his cheeks before leaning backwards to lay down beside his friend. As he slowly descended onto the carpet, his gaze shot through the ceiling in pure focus. The familiar warmth of the mask was being replaced by the strange evening frost, but Dream only went to pull his cloak over his skin tighter.  The soft texture of the pillows massaged the back of his head, already coaxing his mind to drift away, but he couldn’t let himself go just yet.</p><p> </p><p>With these dreams, he has a system in place to achieve optimal memory once he wakes up. First, he takes a few minutes, sometimes an hour, to memorize each individual order he’d received the afternoon prior, and once he’d felt confident enough to memorize such a feat, he’d let deep sleep pull him under. After a few minutes of concentration, Sapnap’s snores fill the deafening silence around him, and Dream can’t help but chuckle internally. He resumes, concentrating on their faces, their voices, what they wanted- every single miniscule detail that would identify them in his dreams and earn him some money coursed through his mind. His mind goes and goes, until suddenly, he drifts.<br/><br/>For most people, sleeping feels like a very vivid blink. Sapnap describes his sleep as him falling asleep, and simply waking up to a new day. If he were to remember the dreams that inhabited his mind, then his sleep would simply be a routine of a blink, imagination, and then consciousness. For Dream, it’s different. For him, falling asleep feels like being dragged across the tides of a beach, and sometimes when true exhaustion swarms him, he feels like he’s mindlessly drifting across a vast ocean with no land in sight. Once he goes through that initial step, the water flushes away and Dream is standing. He can’t speak, he can’t move, but what he can do is watch. These visions play out like theatre before him, with actors appearing onstage to display an event in a moment in time, and it’s up for Dream to interpret it as he pleases. </p><p> </p><p>Dream wastes no time searing the information to the back of his mind, watching the individual scenes play out, taking several mental notes of what it could imply. He hears sound in his dreams, but he hadn’t mastered his craft just yet to remember intricacies like that. His eyes are his biggest helpers, and the ones he relies on the most, and it’s worked for him well so far. </p><p> </p><p>A slight tingle signals the start of his mind reentering his state of consciousness, to which Dream sighs in relief. He quickly scans through the information in his head, freshening it up in his mind, until he hears a distinct “Hello?” It echoes in his mind, bouncing off the dark corners reverberating through the cavern in his brain. Just as Dream was ready to drift back awake, he feels a tentative presence lurking over his shoulder. He gulps, slowly urging his body to turn around, only to see a-<br/><br/>Dream shoots up in surprise. He feels a certain cold blanketing his legs as he whips his head around. The bright morning sun beams through the crevices of the tent curtains, blinding him instantly. He looks over to his side, to where Sapnap is still very much asleep and snoring, and he takes a breath. He takes another and another, until he’s sure he’s regained his composure. <em> What the fuck was that? </em> <em> <br/></em> <br/>Sapnap stirred beside him, murmuring something under his breath. Dream levied himself off the carpet, grabbing his satchel off the surface of his dark oak desk to dig through his items. He pulled out his journal, and his charcoal and immediately sat down to work while the memory was still fresh in his mind. Hours pass by, but the sun still shines. Dream has a deadline of the afternoon because that’s when his tent is scheduled to open for business, and he hates it. Working on an empty stomach is not ideal whatsoever. His tent is devoid of a clock, mainly because Dream can’t afford such a formality, so he indicates the time through Sapnap’s stores. Once Dream gets down to the last order, playing back the dreams as if it were on loop, letting out a sigh of relief as he concluded his sentence. He sunk back into his chair, dropping the charcoal pencil onto the surface of the desk as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He feels a familiar burning sensation in his right arm, and he just focuses on his breathing. The cramping in his hand soothes just in time for Sapnap to finally stir awake. </p><p> </p><p>“Dream.” Sapnap yawns, stretching his arms outwards over his head as he groans in exhaustion. “What time is it?”<br/><br/>“Not sure. Morning, probably.” Dream leaned down to reach for his mask and fit it onto his face. “I’ve finished everything, and I hope it’s not going to be time for checkups soon.” <br/><br/>“Me neither,” Sapnap chuckles, heaving himself upwards to waddle over to a piece of broken glass on Dream’s desk and check his reflection. A hand combed through his black unkempt hair, ruffling it further before wrapping his signature white cloth around his forehead. “Alright, I’m all set too. Let’s get food.” <br/><br/>“Fine with me.” Dream laughs, watching Sapnap dust off his clothing before strutting out of the tent. Dream shook his head to himself, before pulling his satchel over his head and stepping outside. The sun was blinding, threatening to sear off his scleras if he dared to look up, but Sapnap seemed to stay unbothered. A few onlookers shot the two a raised brow, failing to be discreet about it, but Dream simply focused on the cobblestone path under him. It’s been a running joke, or rather, conspiracy, in Perforo that Dream and Sapnap have something going on. When they first heard about it, the duo doubled over laughing. The two agreed it would be a great idea, if only Sapnap wasn’t already engaged to a certain man by the name of Karl. Dream snorted to himself at the memory of it, suddenly taken back to the present as he focused in on Sapnap rambling on about the types of dreams he had the night before. It’s the usual morning topic; ever since Sapnap found out about Dream’s superpower of sorts, he takes it upon himself to inform Dream of every single thought he’s had in his life. Dream doesn’t complain, in fact, he finds it entertaining because Sapnap either forgets the dreams once he wakes up and makes everything up, or he just spews information about the most bizarre events from his dream. Either way, it adds spice to their morning walks to the market. <br/><br/>As they approached the familiar sight of food stands, the whiff of meats and sandwiches plague their nostrils as the chatter of the merchants surround them. They stroll past the cart of cakes and breads, the box of oddly cheap bananas, and head on over to the cheap meat section. Bleats of live goats mixed in with the clucks of chickens; live animals were often the capital for bartering when it came to meats. The strum of a banjo echoed off in the distance as a band sang to a crowd nearby. <br/><br/>“Do you want some lamb?”, Dream yells over the noise. Sapnap tilts his head, his eyebrows furrowed. Dream tries again, “Would. You. Like. Some. Lamb?” Each syllable was dragged for emphasis, while Sapnap leaned in to hear him better. </p><p> </p><p>A few seconds later, Sapnap smiled, yelling, “Why not?” before heading over to the stand that had lamb chops roasting over an open fire. Once Dream caught sight of the fire’s source, his eyes widened. The fire was being powered by… by magic itself. A child was huddled underneath the heat, black cloak hugging their frame. Flames spewed from their fingertips as it hugged the tray of lamb chops waiting to be cooked. Dream was in awe, mostly because although the flames smothered the skin, there seemed to be no signs of charring of sorts on the lamb itself. It was Sapnap that spoke up next to voice his interest, mouth agape. “How are you doing that?”<br/><br/>The child jumped, but the flames didn’t falter. The child looked up, eyes wide in surprise. “Um, I can… control how strong the heat gets…” They murmur, voice illegible. It was at that moment that Dream noticed the gold tint of the child’s skin, and the way light reflected off it too seamlessly. “I make it a regular heat so that it gets evenly cooked. Dad says I do a good job.” Dream squints, trying to piece together the child’s origins. <br/><br/>“Who’s your dad?” Sapnap presses, digging into his pockets for coins. <br/><br/>A man sauntered over to the fire, a smile on his face. He wore a shark’s head atop his own, with its gills draped over his ears. “That would be me.” Sapnap looked up with wide eyes and admiration. Dream pursed his lips, racking his brain as he wondered where this man might’ve killed a shark in the first place, and wondered how the sharkhead looked too clean and groomed for it to be a recent showcase of a trophy. If he was being honest, all the shark served to do was to intimidate him out of his wits. <br/><br/>Sapnap, on the other hand… “Dude, you look sick! Where did you get the shark?” Dream can always count on Sapnap to voice out the words he can’t quite bring himself to utter. <br/><br/>“Thank you!” The man smiled, one hand straying to pat his child’s head twice. “I went fishing a month ago with my boy here, and the shark was unexpected. I thought it’d look good on my head.” The child simply nodded in agreement. <br/><br/>“Sick.” Sapnap jangled the coins in between his fingers, tossing them back and forth between each hand. “Well, this is Dream. Village Seer; you may know him. I’m Sapnap. I’m part of the Tufguy Knighthood.” He puffed his chest in pride, beaming at the two. <br/><br/>“I’m a big fan, Dream! Can’t quite bring myself to see the future though, but I love your work. I see we’re using stage names for the introductions, so…” The man clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms as he settled into deep thought, “...I’m Foolish. This is my son, Foolish Jr.” <br/><br/>Dream nodded, bringing a hand up to stroke his own chin, “Foolish Jr. can summon flames?” <br/><br/>“He can! He’s quite talented. He has more gifts other than fire, though, but that’s a story for another time. All I am is a simple construction worker.” Foolish laughed, sprinkling powders and spices onto the lamb chops. <br/><br/>“And a shopkeeper.” Sapnap added; Foolish nodded. “How much for one lamb?” <br/><br/>“For you and Dream? Absolutely free!” He beamed, teeth shining. <br/><br/>Dream gawked, thankful his mask concealed the dumfound of his face. “What? We can’t take that.” <br/><br/>Foolish didn’t retreat. Instead, he continued with the lamb chops, never breaking eye contact. “How hungry are you guys?” <br/><br/>“You’d be surprised.” Sapnap grumbled, patting his stomach. “A warrior needs to eat.” <br/><br/>“Take it as my treat! You can pay me back later with a prophecy or something.” Foolish joked, eyes crinkling at the sides. Foolish Jr. didn’t stir under him, still preoccupied with the task at hand of cooking the lamb chops with utmost diligence. <br/><br/>Sapnap dropped a handful of coins onto Foolish’s cart, gesturing a thumbs up afterwards. “Take this as a tip then!” <br/><br/>Foolish continued onwards, Foolish Jr. under his wing as they tended to the lamb chops. Dream and Sapnap fell into idle conversation, chatting about the different types of carts they passed by, and whether or not cake was worth it afterwards. A moment passed where they both scrambled to check the time, in order to head back to the tent in time for everyone’s check-up, but their worry was quickly undone once Foolish pointed out that it was just barely touching midday. After a few minutes, Foolish Jr. lowered the flames, retreating them back into their fingers as Foolish plated the lamb chops, and handed it over, drizzled with a sauce that looked like it was on fire. <br/><br/>The two bid the family farewell, waving. Yet, as Dream was about to turn, Foolish Jr. pulled down his hood to reveal the shine of his quite literally golden skin, and piercing green eyes. Dream mustered up a smile before turning on his heel and catching up to Sapnap. Thoughts raced through his mind, finding it bizarre Foolish would have a child that looked like <em> that </em> of all things. Perhaps it was a condition, and Dream was just being a complete ass to an innocent child, but then again, Foolish did say his child was multitalented, presumably in magic. <br/><br/>“What are you thinking about?” Sapnap poked, his voice muffled as he bit down onto his lamb chop. Dream sighed, his footsteps on the pavement slowing. <br/><br/>“That child was weird, right?” Dream risked a glance over his shoulder, only to be met with a crowd of unfamiliarity. <br/><br/>“So what if he is? He can summon fire; <em> big deal </em> .” Sapnap snorted, the sarcasm practically dripping off his words, “You literally see visual premonitions in your dreams.” Dream squinted at him, mouth opening to correct his mistake, but Sapnap continued. “Plus, you do realize I was supposed to inherit fire powers too.” The lamb went down his throat with a forced gulp. “Sadly, the Tufguy Knighthood needed me, and God knew I’d be too powerful if I was good at combat, <em> and </em> summoned fire. It would be too unfair on the battlegrounds.” <br/><br/>Dream’s hand flew up to stifle a laugh. “Sure, keep telling yourself that.” He snickered. It was true that Sapnap did come from a family of magic, the majority of them specializing in the art of elementals. As a child, Dream wasn’t all too aware of his ability just yet, but he had a solid enough understanding of the magic that inhabited the kingdoms nonetheless. The two met when they were playing games on the river that ran on the outskirts of Perforo, coincidentally close to the Badlands. They met through mutual friends, with Dream asking to join their game of fire tag which consisted of Sapnap, and names that he can’t quite remember. The game itself was terrifying, and scarring enough to remember. Take that literally, or metaphorically. Whoever was ‘it’ needed to be able to summon fire, so Dream was always the one getting chased, and the goal of the game was to aim fireballs at their running targets. It was mostly a tactic to help refine Sapnap and his friends’ elemental magic, but for Dream, it was a near-death experience. He remembers Sapnap whining about not being able to summon a spark even though he was at his supposed prime age for magic to surge through his veins. He remembers running through thick grass and fallen branches once the game started. He remembers his fingers scratching against bark in desperation to flee the current fire tagger. The game was scary in every way possible. Sapnap’s friends provided an alternative: the river, in case anyone actually caught on fire. He remembers hiding in the deep thrush, waiting with bated breath for the round to be over. He waited, and waited, until his eye caught sight of a fireball barrelling straight towards him. Looking back at it now, Dream could fairly say he was disadvantaged. He was a measly child, and he had no reaction time, but thankfully, Sapnap came swooping in, a large oak stick the size of his torso in hand, and batted the fireball into the river as if it were nothing. Their friends back then gaped in awe, in complete disbelief of what just occurred. Dream thinks that’s when Sapnap realized, or at least started doubting his abilities for elemental magic, and instead believed in his quick reaction times and talent for combat. If nothing would’ve happened right then and there, Dream wasn’t entirely sure he’d be walking his way back to his tent with the person who saved his life years later. <br/><br/>“I think it’s time for us to head back. The sooner you distribute results the better, right?” Dream caught sight of the almost empty plate Sapnap cradled in his palm, jaw falling ajar. <br/><br/>“...Right.” There is no way he finished <em> that </em> quickly. Dream glanced down at his lamb chops, watching the steam mist away into the atmosphere before letting out a sigh of indignation. It’s a hassle having the mask sometimes, but Dream values his privacy, and plus, he has a brand to uphold. If Perforo ever finds out their village Seer is a dorky boy with freckles and not some ominous deity with a mask, his reign would crumble. <br/><br/></p><p>They return to the tent in no time, Sapnap already smirking at the eager crowd that’s gathered at the front. Dream’s eyes rolled to the back of his skull; God, this was going to be a long day. As Dream’s tentative steps alongside the cobblestone indicated his arrival, Sapnap went to clear his throat and put on a show.<br/><br/>“Welcome back!” The empty plate smeared with sauce was still held in Sapnap’s hands as he waved, “Now, it’s the moment you all have been waiting for. What has he seen? What will you know?” A hushed whisper bounced between the crowd, anticipation rising with every second. “As you can see, Dream has just come from his lunch break. Allow him a few minutes, and information will be bestowed upon you before you even know it.” Dream made no attempt to move. Instead, he froze rigid to Sapnap’s side, allowing his lack of movement to radiate feelings of animosity towards the crowd. In reality, he probably looked pretty stupid just standing there, but he noticed a few girls in the audience swoon, so at least it’s working partially. After getting affirmation from the crowd, Sapnap laid a hand upon Dream’s shoulder, cooing in mock respect, “Now, follow me in, my king.” <br/><br/>“ <em> Did I just hear him say my king… </em> ” A girl’s harsh whisper shot through the air, disrupting the silence. It was almost enough to send Dream into giggles, but Sapnap immediately ushered him inside, pulling the tent curtains to conceal them. <br/><br/>Once the curtains were loose, Dream pulled off his mask in exasperation and scarfed down the lamb chops in record time. “Well, <em> someone’s </em> excited to fulfill orders.” Sapnap laughs, dumping the bones into a basket of trash by the entrance. <br/><br/>Dream wished he had water to help wash the lamb down his throat, but the well wasn’t quite accessible at the moment. “You could say that.” He choked out, hitting the front of his chest a few times to get the food going. “Frankly, I just want to go back to sleep. Tomorrow’s my day off.” <br/><br/>“I know it is. It’s mine too!” Sapnap exclaims, offering to take the satchel from Dream’s shoulders. Dream complies, raising his arms. Sapnap digs his fingers into the leather, fishing for the journal. “You could be really quick with relaying the information if you wanted.” <br/><br/>“What? Like speedrun it?” Dream joked, disposing the bones into the wastebasket, tugging his sleeve to wipe at a smear of sauce on his cheek. <br/><br/>“Exactly. We could go to the Badlands after.” Sapnap threw out, his fingers flipping through the journal’s pages as his eyes wandered around the tent’s interior. <br/><br/>“I’d love that.” Dream chuckles, sporting the mask back onto his face as he practiced his breathing exercises. The Badlands would be a nice reward, wouldn’t it? If Dream was being honest, he hadn’t done all that well with visiting lately. And, thankfully enough, Bad hadn’t pestered him about it yet, so Dream would count that as a win. If he went to the Badlands today, there’s so much he could ask about, such as: how to memorize sounds being his biggest priority, possibly re entering a vision, which he, surprisingly, can’t do, and also… that voice. If Dream was being honest, he’d forgotten about the meek voice echoing right as he awoke. Peculiar, is what it was. <br/><br/>“Alright, big boss man.” Sapnap clapped Dream once on the back, nodding his head towards the entrance. “I’m gonna let them in. Do your magic.” <br/><br/>Dream offered a curt nod in response, watching the doe-eyed faces of curiosity and anticipation filing into his tent. One by one, he informed them of their futures and their meanings. He brought out his journal, pointing to the mess that was his notes as he spoke. Most clients listened with patience and pure focus, soaking up every single detail, while some listened with lazy eyes and disinterest. For those, he’d often give vague information that would’ve made sense when the time came, and oftentimes, he’d practice his riddles onto them. Sapnap once suggested that he’d have to invest in speaking in rhymes and riddles to further his anonymity, and mysterious persona. His clients ate it up with no room for dessert, his popularity skyrocketing once he did so. <br/><br/>Minutes pass, and the sun is still up once he concludes with his last client. Taking requests, surprisingly takes longer than providing results; Dream justifies it by the fact taking requests requires meticulous planning and detailing, while providing results simply consists of him relaying information. There was a time where he took minutes upon hours to explain one single vision and the thousands of potentialities of its meanings, but that was when he had one or two customers on a biweekly basis. Now, he has thousands of followers of all kinds following his every move, and he’s had to have adapted to these changes in an efficient manner. <br/><br/>The final client thanked him with their utmost gratitude, cradling his hands and bowing their head and muttering several ‘thank you’s’ under their breath. Dream stared, mustering up a smile while they walked out of his tent. All he predicted was that they’d find themselves in a faraway land that resembled too closely to Numquam surrounded by gold. The client looked fairly young, and the vision itself wasn’t anything too special. Dream sighs to himself, supposing that any semblance of hope was enough to make anyone’s day. <br/><br/>Sapnap yawned, stretching his back, “Now that’s done and over with… Badlands?” <br/><br/>Dream laughed, rolling up the sleeves of his dark green tunic and readjusted his fingerless gloves into a tighter fit. “I feel terrible for not visiting Bad for weeks.” <br/><br/>“I know.” Sapnap offered, bending down to tighten the laces of his shoes. “I’m sure he doesn’t mind that much. He’s got Skeppy, doesn’t he?” <br/><br/>Dream let out a snort, “That he does. Ant’s there too, and Sam.” <br/><br/>“Sam’s not an alchemist though.” Sapnap rebutted, “I don’t think he hangs around there anymore…” What he said was true; Sam strayed off to focus on combat and construction and the like. Many say he picked up a shift being a guard at a prison estate, but it’s been a while since Dream’s talked to him, so he wouldn’t know the factuality of that statement. Coincidentally enough, Sapnap adds, “...but it’s been weeks. Things might’ve changed, maybe they haven’t.” Dream nods. <br/><br/>“Hey, before we go visit Bad, could we go to Florens?” It was a simple request, and if he was being honest, while he was deprived of visiting the Badlands, he’d also neglected visiting Florens and his family in the process. It’s not like he was avoiding them; in fact, he just never found the time to visit either. Riding on a horse for an hour doesn’t do any of his muscles any favours, and he’s not going to lie, it does no wonders for his ass either. </p><p> </p><p>Perforo was massive, and yes, the tourism was booming, but the kingdom was so grand that neighbouring towns distanced themselves away to avoid competition. It didn’t help that Dream was getting orders upon orders as his popularity skyrocketed and his reputation cycled around, forcing him to work six days of the week with Monday his off-day. It was problematic in the sense that he often chose Mondays to either doze off the whole day, and indulge in his own imagination for once, or just simple outings with Sapnap around the market. A visit to his family was long overdue, and he’s sure his sister would never let him live this down.<br/><br/>“Sure man. Whatever works for you.” Sapnap’s teeth shone in a genuine smile, but it wasn’t long before it faltered. “Karl’s still going to be awhile.” <br/><br/>Dream frowned, but understood.  “Right. I’m sorry about that. He’ll return.” <br/><br/>“Well,” Dream noticed the way Sapnap’s eyes darkened at his words. An unfamiliar feeling settled into his stomach; this wasn’t right. “He said he would.” If Sapnap’s voice quavered in the middle, Dream pretended not to notice. “So, if he doesn’t— that asshole needs to learn his limits and not make promises he can’t keep.” The laugh that erupts from Sapnap is forced, but the sadness in his gaze is all too apparent for the facade to keep up. <br/><br/>Dream hummed, “He’ll come back. Do you want me to try and check up on him tonight?” Sapnap froze momentarily, before turning his head to face him, his eyes wide. Dream’s offered this before; the favour consisted of him fishing out Karl’s visions, in an attempt to give Sapnap a peace of mind, but there seemed to be some sort of barrier. Everytime Dream tried to envision Karl’s potential futures, nothing would conjure up. Dream would remain in the ocean, drifting with each wave, the water refusing to drain. When this dilemma was brought to the alchemists, Bad hypothesized it could’ve been a consent barrier of some kind. The magic that allowed Dream to ‘travel to the future’ in a metaphorical sense, although in a subconscious state, seemed to only be activated by the client’s drive to find out about their future. Skeppy hypothesized that because Dream’s clients allowed him verbal consent to peer into their futures, the magic surrounding his ability opened a gateway for him to enter. Ant then pointed out that yes, Dream was seeking Karl’s future, and that the only reason it wasn’t working was because Karl himself hadn’t offered consent in any form that Dream was knowledgeable about. Magic itself was still a slippery slope that many alchemists of Mundus couldn’t quite climb. <br/><br/>“It’s fine, Dream. You need Karl’s consent, right? No matter how many times I give you mine doesn’t mean it’s enough to compensate for his.” Sapnap sighs indignantly, dipping his head. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I can just wait for him.” <br/><br/>Dream opened his mouth to insist his case, only to bite down on his tongue and move his attention towards adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves. There were countless loopholes and rules and unanswered questions about his ability that a visit to the Badlands would certainly clear up, and there was only so little time in the day. “Okay, let’s go then.” Sapnap nodded, and the two went on their way. Dream stuffed a potato sack with a couple of tunics, his journal and pencil. Sapnap tightens his headband, and they are on their way. <br/><br/>Dream exits the tent, the potato stack thrown over his shoulder. It’s concerning how he leaves his tent unguarded, but he’s gathered enough of a reputation that nobody in Perforo in their right mind would attempt to steal from him. Dream holds nothing of importance in there; his tent housing purple carpets, a desk, and several tunics, blouses, pourpoints folded by the bed. Plus, Bad offered basic security enchantments to freeze the thief momentarily, but Dream declined the offer. If thieves were ever that desperate, he hoped they’d be too disappointed to take anything. <br/><br/></p><p>They fell into idle conversation on their way to the stables, with Sapnap raving about the house he and Karl had started to build near the outskirts of Perforo. A library, to be exact. Karl always liked to read, and Dream was glad that they were finding time for each other in times like these. Although, he can see the way Sapnap’s shoulders sag from disappointment and longing. He can see how much he misses Karl, and it makes him wonder how he’s been holding up. Karl’s been gone for a few days now— Dream doesn’t know what for— and it wouldn’t be a problem, if Sapnap didn’t mention how concerning it was if his trips spanned over a week. <br/><br/>Dream stayed quiet, letting Sapnap vent about Karl all that he wanted until the distant echoes of whinnies filled the air. Dream looked up to see the row of horses and donkeys either cozily resting on some hay, or in the process of ingesting their lunch. His eyes scanned the surroundings, in hopes of locating a set of antlers and a red nose. As they walked on over to their respective horses, Sapnap squinted his eyes to the back of stables before yelling, “Callahan!” <br/><br/>Callahan, with his antlers and blue mask decked across the top half of his face, perked up. A smile broke upon his face as he ran excitedly towards the two, leash in hand. <br/><br/>“Callahan!” Dream echoed, laughing. Sapnap started to go on about how he hadn’t seem him in days, even though Sapnap probably sees Callahan more often than Dream does. Almost immediately, the two glanced down at his hands. <br/><br/>‘Where will you guys be going?’ Callahan gestured. He was born mute, a ripped vocal cord that refused any sound to escape from his throat. The duo met him when they first required transportation in Perforo, and once they were knowledgeable of his disability, they took it upon themselves to learn sign language. They became quite fluent after a few years, understanding Callahan to the last syllable, but if you ever asked either of them to speak back to him solely on sign language… let’s just say they would short circuit. <br/><br/>“We’re going to Florens, then we’re on our way to the Badlands. It’s our day off tomorrow.” Sapnap explains, cheesing a grin as he throws an arm around Dream’s shoulder. <br/><br/>Callahan nods enthusiastically, pointing towards the pair of horses registered under their names. Dream’s horse had a dark chestnut coat, while Sapnap’s was silk white with black spots all over, to which Callahan commented looked like a cow. Funnily enough, it’s how Moomoo’s name came to be. Dream, on the other hand, refused to name his horse based on the sole purpose that he considered himself shit at naming things. ‘They were just fed and groomed, so they’ll be good for the rest of the day.’ Callahan signed. <br/><br/>“Thank you.” Dream breathed, nodding his head. Callahan offered a thumbs up, before clipping on their saddles. <br/><br/>“Hello, Moomoo.” Sapnap cooed, scratching under Moomoo’s snout. “Are you ready to go to Florens?” Moomoo made no action to respond to him, but Sapnap continued all the same. Dream rolled his eyes, chuckling as he hauled himself onto his horse. The dark green of his cloak fell to his sides, his mask soaking in the shade. Callahan leashed their horses and led them out of the stables with care and patience. He then waved his goodbyes, to which Dream and Sapnap reciprocate the gesture, and they were on their way.</p><p> </p><p>They pass through Perforo’s town square, attracting awestruck looks of admiration and squints of skepticism sent their way. The two must’ve been a sight to see on their own, with Sapnap loud and unapologetic by his side, and Dream looking rigid and daunting as ever. Being mounted on a horse only added to his reputation, and he let out a sigh. He didn’t want to dwell on it too much, so he tried his best to focus on Sapnap’s words until they exited town square. As the townhouses started to fade away, being replaced by shrubs and greenery, Dream loosened his shoulders. Sapnap was rambling about how he’d gone to the library recently searching for a particular book consisting of pictures of a foreign language— something Dream doesn’t know much about, and personally couldn’t understand the appeal of— before the soreness started to kick in into his lower half. The sun is still up on their way to Florens, and it’s still up as they march through a broken stone path, watching the dirt and grass beneath their horses’ hooves blend into that of sand and pebbles. <br/><br/>Florens was a beach town at best, a half hour horse ride away from Perforo’s heart. The memories embedded in the sand are unearthed once the salt of the sea passes through his mask, wafting into his nose. Dream used to live here, Sapnap too; these were their origins, and the forest nestled behind the town were haunted by the ghosts of their first encounter. Dream feels the prickle of his skin travel through his forearms under his cloak as he gulps, as Sapnap whipped his head around to scan their surroundings. Feeling nostalgic was good for the soul, but they were here for a reason, and they needed to follow through with it. <br/><br/>The caws of seagulls mixed alongside the crash of the ocean waves, acting as the background track for the loud chatter amidst the town. Nobody batted an eye at their arrival, treating them as locals of sorts. Maybe that’s what Dream loved about his hometown so much; maybe Dream felt comfort in the way the residents treated him not as <em> Dream </em> , the <em> village Seer </em> , but the kind of Dream that Sapnap thoroughly knew. Florens were the only type of people that knew Dream before he concealed his face, before he gained popularity, before everything, and it was kind of pathetic. <br/><br/>As they strolled through the town, a few shopkeepers and former neighbours saw the two and waved enthusiastically, greeting them with pride and open arms. It was enough to make Dream break into a smile, and he desperately wished they were able to see it under his mask so they could notice his appreciation of their inclusion. They moved closer and closer to a secluded part of Florens, near the shore, towards Dream’s childhood home. His stomach turned with unease, the dread forming a pit in his stomach. Sapnap rode alongside him, stretching to place a tentative hand on his cloaked shoulder. “Just gonna do a quick check up, then we’re going to the Badlands.” <br/><br/>Dream nods, closing his eyes to take a deep breath. The pit in his stomach grows deeper with every step he took: as he jumped from his horse, as they both leashed their horses to a fence post… yet, when Dream knocks on their door, all that nervousness melts away as he’s welcomed with smiles and unconditional affection from his family. His parents hugged him, as well as his siblings, and it was… refreshing. He relished in their group hug for a while, with Sapnap joining in a few seconds after.With the amount of bodies pressed up against him, his mask had been repositioned to expose half of his face and they all gasp in mock surprise. <br/><br/>“How did he get uglier than the last time he visited?” Drista mutters, sending Sapnap into a snicker. “Maybe you should keep that mask on more often.” <br/><br/>“You’re literally related to me.” Dream quips, blinking in exasperation. <br/><br/>Drista crossed her arms. “And? I’m not the one hiding my face 24/7” <br/><br/>The lightheartedness of their banter sparked a warm feeling in Dream’s chest, causing him to smile. God, he’d really needed this. He needed to be with his family, with people that didn’t want anything from him, and most of all, he needed to be <em> home </em> . <br/><br/>He laughed, letting himself get lost in reminiscing and catching up with the past few weeks. The sun sets while they talk, and they continue the conversation until dinner. Before they knew it, night had fallen and Dream and Sapnap’s plans on visiting the Badlands were tarnished once more. Dream’s mother offered to let them stay the night, to which they both enthusiastically agreed to. As they exchanged their goodnights, Dream and Sapnap were sent to Dream’s old room: the attic. Being a child with the ability to see the future caused him to earn a room with complete privacy and isolation, and a space for him to focus. It also meant that they’d be able to sleep with no disturbances; their own personal sleepover, if they weren’t already sleeping on the same tent carpet every night of the week. <br/><br/>A lantern on Dream’s bedside table emitted a soft glow, illuminating a portion of his room. The darkness swallowed most of his surroundings—not that there was much to swallow in the first place considering how empty his room had become once he moved to Perforo, plus, at least he still had his bed. Dream was so used to sleeping on the floor that he’d completely disregarded the fact that they’d share until Sapnap mentioned ‘keeping his hands to himself’ in a joking manner. Dream’s cloak was riddled on the floor, his mask resting alongside the lantern with him resting on his mattress in only his tunic and baggy trousers he found in his old drawers. His bed was rickety, and it was uncomfortable, and if he was being honest, he missed his fuzzy carpet. He didn’t know how he ever slept on such a thing, and when he turned his gaze to face Sapnap, he was shocked to find that Sapnap did not reflect the same sentiment. His eyes had already drifted closed, his mouth slowly ajar as soft snores escaped from his throat. <br/><br/>“Come on, there’s no way you’re asleep already.” Dream mutters, mostly to himself than to Sapnap. “Don’t you miss the carpet, Sapnap?” He joked, turning his head to face the ceiling. His smile faltered as the thought pounded through his head: ‘ <em> Don’t you miss Karl’s carpet, Sapnap? Don’t you miss Karl? </em> ’ He gulps, taking a shaky breath. “Imagine what Karl would say.” He forces a laugh, squeezing out of his throat. As soon as the noise dissipates into the cold air, Dream’s lips fall to a frown. <em> Right </em> . Karl. He sighs. <br/><br/>He remembers their conversation from earlier, and how Sapnap told him to drop the subject. He remembers Bad’s words about acknowledged consent to visit their futures, and he clenches his eyes shut. Dream decides there and then that yeah, this is his day off, why doesn’t he just try and reach out for Karl? It’s the least he can do for Sapnap, his <em> best friend </em> . He can tell Karl’s absence had taken a toll in the form of Sapnap’s exhaustion. <br/><br/><em> How the hell are you planning to reach out towards him? </em> His mind shouts at him. He doesn’t know the answer, but it never hurts to try. The tactic he tries is half-assed, and has no guarantee of success, but he follows through with it anyways. He relaxes his body, chanting in his mind: <em> Karl, let me see you. Sapnap needs you. I’m reaching out. Give me a sign so I can check up on you. </em> For extra measure, he crosses his fingers and bites his lip. It’s all wishful thinking, but he doesn’t have any other options. After a while, he takes a deep breath, hoping it was enough to gather some acknowledged consent on Karl’s end. He’s aware that he sounded delusional, but he had no clients to occupy his time with, plus this could be considered a favour of his own behalf. </p><p> </p><p>The fire in his lantern dies out, and he finds himself drifting on the waves of Florens beach. The water drains as he washes up on shore, and he knows he’s made it. Hope swells in his heart, fluttering in anticipation as he wonders if his considerably pathetic tactic <em> actually </em> worked. <br/><br/>Dream’s cloak is still draped over his shoulders, his mask still swiped across his face. Everything is as it seems, so where the hell is the prophecy? The water drained for once, and it usually meant a sign of an incoming vision, but time passes and nothing arrives. Nobody’s conjured up from the sand, nobody swims from the depths, nobody walks off in the distance. Dream sighs. <em> This was a waste of time. </em> <br/><br/>Then, a rattle in the bushes. Dream pivots on his heel in record time, squinting at the nearby forest by the beach. The silence that follows was deafening, with him waiting for a sign, anything of a vision. He sighs, unsure of how much time has passed, turning back around to face the ocean, only to be met with the sight of a man in purple robes and a golden watch dangling from his pockets. <br/><br/>Dream yells in horror, completely taken aback by the sudden surprise. The man that stood before him was <em> Karl </em> . Karl, himself. Dream was dumbfounded, in disbelief at the fact his methods actually worked. <br/><br/>“Karl?” He gaped, watching the way Karl’s posture sagged, his darkened eye bags prominent in the shadow of the moonlight. He’s caught off guard momentarily by the sound of his own voice. Now, this was a first. During visions, Dream can’t speak. He can’t move, or interact with the world around him. All he can do is watch and interpret. His heart races at his newfound ability, but he gulps it down and focuses on the man before him. <br/><br/>“Dream?” Karl’s eyes lit up, a smile breaking on his face. “God, it’s so good to see you. I wasn’t sure if it’d work-” He runs a hand through his hair, relief swarming his posture. <br/><br/>“What? What’s going on? How are you  here? Is this even you?” Dream sputters all at once. Karl purses his lips, worry taking hold of his features. <br/><br/>“Where are you right now, Dream?” Karl’s eyes pierced through Dream’s mask, stirring a pot of unease at the bottom of his gut. <br/><br/>“You can’t just answer my question with another question-” Karl gives him a stern look, and Dream dips his head. “I’m at Florens. With Sapnap.” <br/><br/>Karl breathes another sigh of relief, pocketing his golden clock as he glanced at the sea. “Good, good. I’m going to need you to hurry to Badlands once you’re awake. Tell Bad that I have a message, and that he needs to teach you how to bring Sapnap into these visions.” <br/><br/>“What?” Dream exasperates, his eyes popping out of a skull. “What are you talking about?” Bringing Sapnap into these visions seemed like an impossible feat. Did Sapnap have the gift too? <br/><br/>“I need you two here.” The ends of Karl’s hair strands grew frazzled. “I don’t have a lot of time left and it’s better you two are present when I tell you what I need to say.” <br/><br/>“What the hell are you saying? Sapnap doesn’t have the gift, does he? I can remember shit, Karl. Tell me what he needs to know and I can relay the information.” <br/><br/>Irritation grew on Karl’s face, or maybe it was fear and impatience. “No, that’s not—” Karl shakes his head, taking a deep breath. “I’m in some deep trouble right now, and I need you to meet me back here <em> with Sapnap </em> , okay? Promise me you will.” <br/><br/>Dream’s mind was spinning, and he could feel his grip on his subconscious loosening. His eyebrows furrowed. “Karl, I can’t-” <br/><br/>“ <em> Promise me </em> .” Karl pleaded, his arm outstretched to tentatively grasp at his shoulder. Dream could see the desperation in his eyes, and how he could say no to that? Maybe Karl knew what he was doing, and maybe there was some truth to his words. <br/><br/>“I… I promise.” Dream croaks, and Karl nods in appreciation. The vision fades away for Dream to open his eyes to Sapnap’s figure towering over him. <br/><br/>“Rise and shine, sleepyhead!” He grinned, poking at Dream’s cheek. “You really slept in today, didn’t you?” <br/><br/>“G’morning, Sapnap.” Dream drawled, rubbing at the corners of his eyes. He still felt a bit disoriented from it all, but the feeling of dread returned to his gut soon after. As he sat up, he peeked an eye open to glance over at Sapnap, whose smile fell and was soon replaced with concern. <br/><br/>Karl’s words played on loop in his head, his requests spinning and echoing against the layers of his brain. Sapnap’s eyes softened. “Hey, why do you look like you just… did something happen?” <br/><br/>“What…” Dream brought his hands from his face, only to find a shine around his knuckles that could only come from… tears. A certain warmth flowed down his cheeks, and his breath hitched. <em> Shit </em> , why was he crying? “...Yes.” It’s barely a whisper, but Sapnap picks up on it. <br/><br/>“Why… What did you see last night, Dream?” Sapnap’s voice was hushed, but demanding. Dream wasn’t sure if he would understand. <br/><br/>“I… I saw Karl.” He croaked out. Sapnap paled, his jaw falling slightly ajar. <br/><br/>“You did?” Hesitancy laced his vocal chords, wary of what Dream was to say next. <br/><br/>“I did. He wants us to go to the Badlands; he says Bad will know what to do.” Dream wasn’t sure of how much he should reveal just yet. He didn’t want to overwhelm Sapnap with Karl’s requests, so he figured they’d focus on the issue once they got around to it. <br/><br/>Sapnap’s eyes lit up as he cleared his throat. “Great! Let’s go then!” With the amount of enthusiasm he emitted, Dream knew Sapnap was unaware of the danger that Karl could be in. Blind optimism shaped his features as he stretched his limbs. “We can grab a bite, say goodbye to the family, and be on our way.” Although, Dream did find it odd how quickly he switched up. Whatever concerns he held, he didn’t voice them. Instead, he decided he’d spit them out in Badlands when the situation arose. <br/><br/>“Right.” Dream nodded, pulling the collar of his tunic up to his face to wipe at his cheeks. “I don’t know why I was crying. Guess I was just excited I saw him or something.” <br/><br/>“Well, as you should.” Sapnap raised his eyebrows, journeying over to the ladder that led downstairs. Dream playfully rolled his eyes, hopping out of bed to grab at his cloak and swing it over his shoulders. With his mask in hand, he climbed the rungs and entered the kitchen to find Sapnap helping with some eggs that his mother had already cracked onto the pan. <br/><br/>“Good morning!” She echoed, a smile beaming on her face. Dream glanced out the window to find Drista and their father plucking weeds from the garden. The dirt served as a makeshift flower bed, but the harsh beach environment seldom allowed them a chance to grow. Dream uttered a ‘good morning’ under his breath, reflecting the smile. <br/><br/>“We’re going to have to leave pretty soon.” Dream informed, watching the way his mother tensed in surprise. <br/><br/>“Already?” She pouted in a mock whine. “Where will you go?” <br/><br/>“Badlands. He saw Karl last night.” Sapnap explained, his eyes refusing to betray the eggs on the stove. <br/><br/>“Oh! That’s good.” Dream’s mother clapped her hands together. “In that case, I’ll pack you boys something for the road.” <br/><br/>“You don’t have to-” Dream interrupts, but is immediately shot down as Sapnap pipes up from beside her. <br/><br/>“Yes, please! Could you pack something for Moomoo as well? She gets slow when she’s hungry.” Something uneasy swirled around in Dream’s stomach, wondering if he should soften at or pity Sapnap’s urgency to get to Badlands. <br/><br/>“Of course!” Dream’s mother floated towards the front door, and into their living room to bring the radio into the kitchen. Her head turned to glance out the window, noticing the two approaching figures of a man and a young girl as they stalked towards the front door. She placed the radio on the counter, fiddling with the knobs until a staticky buzz evolved into eligible voices. Dream’s father always loved to listen to the news during breakfast, plus it never hurt to learn a little more about the outside world. As the two entered, they greeted Dream and Sapnap before plopping down at the kitchen table awaiting their breakfast. Dream joined them, handing out cutlery and setting the plates in their respective places, while Sapnap focused more on being a kitchen assistant and serving the food. They all fell into lighthearted conversation, about what Drista planted in the flower beds, Dream making pointed comments about how they’d die again, and Dream’s father shushing them as the radio picked up a hill’s worth of decibels in volume. <br/><br/>“Are you guys ready to have your stomachs filled?” Sapnap chirped, helping Dream’s mom hand out eggs and pancakes to the table. <br/><br/>“You made this? I’m going to get food poisoning.” Drista brought a hand over her mouth to gag, jokingly or not jokingly, either way it made Sapnap offended. <br/><br/>“Wow. How old are you? Like what? Ten years old?” He scoffed, taking the empty seat next to Dream. <br/><br/>Drista’s jaw falls as she squints. “What the h- I am not ten—” <br/><br/>As they continued to bicker, Dream zoned out to focus on the buzzing radio on the counter. <em> ‘To all the magic folk, this next story will shock you. You’ve all heard of the myth of—’ </em> <br/><br/>“You are!” Sapnap’s boisterous voice rang through the kitchen. “You can’t even cook, and you’re a child. I won’t hesitate to kill your parrot.” <br/><br/>“Guys,” Dream pipes up, sending Sapnap a glare, then shooting a look to Drista, “stop. I’m trying to listen to the radio.” <br/><br/>“ <em> Boring </em> .” Drista yawned, poking at her pancakes. “He’s starting to sound like Dad.” <br/><br/>“I know right.” Sapnap rolled his eyes, completely disregarding his requests. They both continued to talk, just not as exchanged battlecries. <br/><br/>The radio hummed, ‘ <em> It’s crazy is what it is! A deity in your head? Now everyone’s on the hunt for him.’ </em> Dream takes his first bite of his eggs, wondering what myth the radio could be talking about. Maybe they were talking about him? Nah. <em> God, stop being so self-centered </em> , he snorts to himself. As he chewed on his food, he started to map out a plan for when he got to Badlands. He’d arrive at Skeppy’s mansion, and probably get through all the small talk catch up sessions in a few minutes, and then… his mind drew a blank. How would he start asking Bad about Karl? Hell, he doesn’t even know <em> what </em> he should start asking Bad about. There’s that voice from earlier, but a day later, Dream realizes it’s kinda superficial. It may have been his mind playing tricks on him, or maybe it was a really distorted version of Karl’s voice. Truth be told, he doesn’t really remember what the voice sounds like, but it’d make the most sense that Karl would be the one to try and contact him. A part of him still shook its head at the idea, considering Dream didn’t focus on meeting Karl as he was too busy prioritizing his orders, but then again… <em> ugh </em> , sometimes Dream hates his ability for being so meta and confusing. Now he’s definitely hoping that Bad has some answers when he pulls up to the mansion. <br/><br/>Once breakfast wraps up, Sapnap and Dream bid his family farewell, heaving themselves onto their horses and riding off into the forest. Dream’s mother had packed them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as well as some grapes from the market for a ‘balanced diet’, but if Dream was being honest, he thinks they’re really for Moomoo instead. The journey to Badlands from Florens wouldn’t take that long, and that’s only if their horses sprinted the entire time. It was still the afternoon, and Dream wasn’t sure their horses would appreciate a workout at the middle of the day. A part of him sighed at his own incompetence of waking up so late. <br/><br/>So, now they leisurely walk across a field, watching the sun fall into the mountains ahead. Sapnap yawns, bored and dazed from the long journey. An hour or two on a horse does numbers on your back and lower region, leaving you sore all over, and Dream knows he’s going to have to invest in some solid sleep after this. <br/><br/>The silence was filled with the rustle of dry grass against their horses’ hooves and their clomping against the dirt. Sapnap grunted as he craned his neck to gaze at the clouds, sighing. “Did…” His tone was hesitant, wary, “...Did Karl say anything else?” <br/><br/>Dream pursed his lips, his eyes darkening. Should he withhold information? Should he come clean? “...No. I mean—” Dream sighs in defeat. “—if you really want to know… nothing happened for a long time. I stayed in the vision alone for a while, and I wasn’t sure if he was going to show up at all, but he did at the very end. He seemed…” <em> Be careful with your words here, Dream. Worried? </em> No. <em> Distressed? </em> Nope. <em> Frantic? </em> Even worse. “...He seemed determined. He didn’t give me much time to ask questions, and honestly it still feels surreal. I don’t know how he addressed me so personally in that. I didn’t even know it was possible, but all he said was to visit Bad. That’s all.” The silence that fell after elongated into awkwardness. Dream hoped his rambling would be enough to keep Sapnap’s feelings at bay, but Sapnap seemed unconvinced. <br/><br/>“That’s… weird.” Sapnap finally comments. “Well. Weird and concerning. I’m glad he got back to you, though.” <br/><br/>“Yeah…” Dream clears his throat, scanning his surroundings. Where in the hell was Badlands when you needed it? The silence stretched on even further than the last, prolonging until Dream catches sight of Skeppy’s mansion nestled amidst the trees. The Badlands were closed off from general touristry and the like, completely overrun by vines and moss on its exterior. The sight of it sent a rush of relief coursing through his lungs, allowing him to droop into his saddle. “What a sight for sore eyes. I was starting to think we were lost.” <br/><br/>“Man, thank god. I needed to eat those sandwiches sooner or later. I think Moomoo knows I’m hiding something from her.” Sapnap rubbed his hand over his stomach, patting it twice as he smiled. <br/><br/>“Honestly, I’m hoping Bad bakes something once he sees we’re here.” Dream adds, his gaze skipping between the branches. They carefully traverse through the mossy terrain, ducking under low-lying branches, pushing past vines and leaping across streams and rocks. As they approached the structure, they were now all too aware of the way it towered over them, all too aware of how daunting the mansion actually was. The white exterior looked polished among the ruins, with a gated entrance that seemed to plant a seed of normalcy for them. Their horses teetered in hesitantly, their hooves against the quartz mixed alongside the boys’ hushed breaths clouding the silence. <br/><br/>As the two leashed their horses to the fence, they dusted off their clothes and puffed out their chest. Sapnap strived forward, knocking on the door with all his might as they waited impatiently for Bad to stumble downstairs. A crash echoed from within, as well distant shouts merged with a bark of a dog, presumably Rat, and Dream furrowed his brows in confusion. <br/><br/>The door creaked open, to reveal a flushed Bad, with his black horns and black robes; the red lining of his robes almost matched the red tint of his cheeks. “Oh! Hello Dream and Sapnap!” Bad’s syllables were stretched and inviting, a smile breaking across his face. <br/><br/>“What the hell, Bad? I wasn’t going to burn down the—” Skeppy emerged from behind him, his light blue cloak flowing behind him. His words fall flat as he notices the two elves standing by the door, and his eyebrows immediately shoot up. “—Oh. Hey guys. What brings you here?” <br/><br/>Before Dream can open his mouth to speak, Bad pulls the door wide open, gesturing for them to come in. “No! Don’t tell me. Come in, come in.” Dream nodded, as Sapnap gladly took the invitation, strutting in with a smile. <br/><br/>Dream took a whiff of his surroundings, recoiling as the foul smell of smoke gathered in his nostrils. “What the hell happened here?” <br/><br/>“Well, I’m not naming any names...” Bad shoots Skeppy a look as he led them towards the kitchen, passing through hallways and paintings and plants, and several other material possessions, “...but a certain <em> muffin </em> didn’t turn off the stove and <em> may </em> have left the speedup charms for too long for it to malfunction and start a fire.” <br/><br/>“What the hell, Bad? I didn’t know the charm was going to defect like that.” Skeppy crossed his arms in frustration, rolling his eyes. <br/><br/>“Sure.” Bad drawled, unconvinced. As they made their way to the kitchen, they found Ant wafting the smoke out the windows with a scrap of cardboard. “Thank you, Ant!” Bad chimed, waving his hands around as he allowed the magic to gather in his palms and direct the smoke out the window. <br/><br/>“Showoff. Just because you can move things like that doesn’t mean you have to brag about it...” Skeppy grumbled, stretching his hand out as he muttered a chant under his breath. The three alchemists housed a variety of abilities, with Bad having, objectively, the strongest one. He specializes in telekinesis, able to bend any and all matter at his will, as well as mind reading. He holds an astounding amount of wisdom, and he’s honestly Dream’s personal library. Skeppy on the other hand focuses on charms, relying on several chants to enchant certain actions like summoning heat, or in this case summoning wind to push the smoke out the window. As for Ant, he can’t really do much. He wasn’t born magic, but he did dabble in it as a child, and took an apprenticeship for a wizard once, and somehow evolved into the deadliest and most cunning potions master that Badlands had to offer. Ant may not have magic coursing through his veins, but he can either kill or heal someone with a hint of the right ingredients, making him a valuable member of the alchemy team. As the smoke dissipated into the forest air, Dream coughed into his fist in an attempt to clear out his lungs. <br/><br/>“Thank you guys.” Bad grumbled, snapping his fingers as Dream watched cupboard doors fly open with plates flying out and onto the table with genuine care and patience. Skeppy gestured for Sapnap and Dream to sit, and so they did. Ant and Skeppy took the seats across from them, settling in and making themselves comfortable. Sapnap and Dream sat upright, although awkwardly. The ceramic dishes dropped onto the table, sending a loud clatter booming across the kitchen. “Anyways!” Bad clapped his hands together, his robes bunching up at his elbows. “Now that’s all done with, what brings you two to these parts of the woods?” <br/><br/>Dream pulls down his hood, letting his bedhead run wild for all to see. His fingerless gloves hadn’t left his palms ever since he left Perforo, and he hadn’t planned on taking them off now. A tray of muffins floated their way to the middle of the table; it consisted of a variety of blueberry, chocolate chip, raisin… although Dream isn’t sure why a raisin muffin would exist in the first place. <br/><br/>Sapnap spoke up for Dream as he took his first bite, “Dream saw Karl.” <br/><br/>Bad blanched, his lips pulling apart. “Are you serious?” Dream nodded, and Skeppy let out a whistle. Bad shook his head, walking over to the table to sit down. As he settled into his seat, he propped up his elbows and rested his chin on his palms, pursing his lips. “Okay. We need to back track. Tell me how you did it, and tell me what happened in the dream down to every detail.” <br/><br/>All eyes fell on Dream now as he agreed; Sapnap’s gaze pierced through him the most, prodding at his soul, eyes wide and waiting. Dream gulped, calming himself through a deep breath. “Okay.” He first started by mentioning that he’d been trying to contact Karl for a while, but his previous attempts just never seemed to work until now. He then talked about how he’d gone into that subconscious state on the beach, in his mind’s version of Florens essentially. He talks about how he’d waited for quite a while, maybe hours, maybe minutes, but Karl didn’t show up until the very end. This is where his memory falls flat, failing to recall the sounds. Thankfully, he could never forget the clear distress hidden under Karl’s calm nature. He’d forgotten everything of what Karl had told him, but Dream remembers his request with absolute vividry. Dream held his breath, his heart racing as he divulged Karl’s request. He watched as Sapnap’s face fell, and as Skeppy’s eyes widened. Ant’s hand travelled up to stroke at his chin, indulging himself in deep thought, but Bad’s face didn’t budge. His face stayed dormant, apathetic, yet understanding. <br/><br/>Sapnap is the first to break the silence. “Is… is that even allowed?” Fear coated his every word, his tone trembling. “Why would…” <br/><br/>“Why would Karl ask you to meet him if he wasn’t in danger…” Bad finished for him. It was the truth, and Dream wasn’t sure what else there was to say. Bad glanced over at Sapnap, who’s face had gone undeniably pale. He cautioned towards him, “As for if it’s possible or not…” Bad hummed, looking over at Ant and Skeppy.</p><p> </p><p>Skeppy threw up his hands in defense, “Woah. I mean, Sapnap— do you have secret Seer powers we don’t know about?”<br/><br/>“No, no.” Ant rebutted, dropping his palm flat onto the table. “I read a book earlier. Last week, I think. Remember when you asked me to find a solution to remembering sounds? I stumbled upon an ancient book regarding a Seer’s ability, and long story short, it’s been attempted.” <br/><br/>“Has it worked?” Bad pressed, but Skeppy scoffed. <br/><br/>“Bad, he said it was <em> attempted </em> , not that it was <em> successful </em> .” Skeppy playfully rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, leaning back into his chair. “Plus, it’s dangerous. There have been instances where Dream’s too immersed in a vision and won’t wake up, and that was when he couldn’t control his powers. If Sapnap tags along, who’s to say you won’t fall into a year long coma? Then we’re all screwed.” He delivered his words as a matter-of-fact, professionalism structuring his sentences together. <br/><br/>“You do have a point,” Ant cut in, “and yes, the book said nothing about whether or not it worked, but this is Karl we’re talking about. If he wants Dream to bring Sapnap, then he must think it to be safe enough for him to do so!” Dream blinked, watching the debate unravel before him. He sneaked a glance over to his side, over to Sapnap, whose head was ducked and motionless. Sapnap was fiddling with his fingers, picking at his nails, and Dream frowned. If Dream was being honest, he was concerned about Karl, yes, but he was thoroughly confused at the whole situation. It was concerning that he showed up in his vision, but it was even weirder that Karl was able to interact with him in such a state. <br/><br/>“Boys, calm down!” Bad shrilled, slamming his palms onto the table as he shot up from his chair. Everyone at the table halts, tensing at Bad’s sudden aggression. He sighed, rolling his eyes. “Ant’s right. It’s worth a shot, and if anything happens, he’ll make an antidote.” </p><p> </p><p>“Antidote for a coma?” Skeppy guffawed, immediately composing himself to send a judgmental look Bad’s way. “You’ve got to be kidding. When Dream fell into those comas, he didn’t wake up for weeks on end.”<br/><br/>“Skeppy, I think you should stop.” Dream piped up, his voice cold. Sapnap stayed rigid by his side, and it made Dream pity him. Skeppy froze at his request, eyes wide as he sunk into his chair. “As much as I’d like to hear you guys bicker for the next twenty minutes, you guys are failing to recognize Sapnap’s thoughts on the matter, and I don’t know if anyone knows that I am completely lost on how Karl even contacted me.” As his words soaked into their skin, Skeppy let out another whistle. <br/><br/>Skeppy blinks, craning his neck to the side. “ <em> Shit </em> , he doesn’t know Karl’s a time traveller.” <br/><br/>Dream reeled. <em> What the hell </em> ? <br/><br/>“ <em> Language </em> .” Bad muttered. “Yeah, Dream. Karl’s… special. He’s currently stuck in the Inbetween, most likely. It’s how he’s able to contact you, at least. We don’t actually know where he is.” Dream’s mouth was agape, and he was sure his expression resembled that to a fish, but he simply… What the hell kind of information was <em> that </em> ? Dream thinks back to every conversation he’s had with Karl, every encounter and date with Sapnap that Dream’s crashed as a joke. He thinks back to everytime Karl’s gone on trips outside of Perforo, to another time, and his head spins. Although, it did make sense in how Karl would be able to show up then. During Dream’s subconscious, he travels to a passage of time in the future, and although he wasn’t a physical figure in that timeline, he was still able to peek through. Did Karl know he was looking for him? <br/><br/>“Does that mean that Karl… is in Florens, but in the future?” He thinks aloud, ignoring to inform the others how he came to this conclusion. <br/><br/>Bad seemed to catch on quite quick, offering Dream a curt nod. “Most likely. Ant, could you find us that book? We need to get Sapnap ready by tonight.” <br/><br/>Dream turned to his side, his lips thin. Sapnap hadn’t moved from his original position, his gaze averted and his posture caved in, so Dream sighs. He nudges his side, motioning for him to engage in conversation, or give any sign that he’s willingly participating. <br/><br/>Skeppy stretched his neck as he leaned over to Sapnap, waving his hand. “Hello? Sapnap? Are you handling things okay? Karl’s going to be fine.” <br/><br/>Sapnap looked up, his eyes empty. “Yeah, yeah. I know that. I just— He told me something that…” His voice died out as he shook his head, ridding himself of his own thoughts. “Nothing. Sorry.” Sapnap flashed his teeth in a forced smile, his expression void of warmth, and fear cowering behind his eyes. “Yeah, I’m down.” <br/><br/>Skeppy pulled up the end of his lips, cautioning backwards. “Okay.” Ant nodded, awkwardly hobbling out of his seat and out of the kitchen. A distant creak signalled his exit into the library, and a sigh from Skeppy signalled the beginning of an important conversation. “Sapnap, I don’t know how else to say this, but… seeing the future in your dreams is risky business.” <br/><br/>“You can say that again.” Dream adds, watching Bad waddle towards the stove and pull a piping hot tray of muffins from the oven. <br/><br/>“Risky’s… a nice word for it.” Bad laughs, although nervously. “Dream’s taken years to wake up without any repercussions, and I don’t want to alarm you but there is a risk that you slip into a little…” He lets out a squeak as he sets the tray onto the table, “...coma.” Bad musters up an apologetic smile; Sapnap blinks in response. <br/><br/>“How exciting.” Sapnap deadpanned, propping his elbows onto the table. “So, it’s either I never talk to Karl again, or I fall asleep forever. What enticing choices.” He stretched an arm out to grab at a blueberry muffin, peeling off the parchment wrapper. “What’s the shortest coma that can happen?” <br/><br/>Bad scratched the top of his head, looking around. “Well, Dream went unresponsive for two hours as a child.” Sapnap mindlessly nodded, inspecting the muffin’s lightly charred exterior. <br/><br/>“And the longest?” Sapnap peeled the wrapper off, balling into a crumpled sphere. <br/><br/>Bad directed it towards the waste basket by the sink, hesitant on whether or not Sapnap deserves a peace of mind. “...Forever?” He squeaks, turning his head to gaze at Sapnap only to find him sending judgemental stares prior. <br/><br/>Sapnap shot a look towards Dream, conveying a message that Dream already knows would be dripping with sarcasm. “Thanks, Bad.” He bit off a chunk of the muffin, chewing tediously. <br/><br/>“Um, well… forever’s not a long time!” Bad offers, emitting rays of enthusiasm amongst the table. The silence that follows is comical, with Sapnap hardening his grip on his muffin, stopping mid-chew as he shot him a look of disbelief and disappointment. “What? Ant can make antidotes anyways.” <br/><br/>Sapnap rolled his eyes, gulping it down. Skeppy gaped beside him, “Once again, you fail to recognize there aren’t any antidotes for a coma. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be concerned about this whole ordeal.” <br/><br/>“Look at me, I’m Skeppy and I can do big words.” Sapnap quipped, shoving the rest of the muffin into his mouth, muffling his incoming sentence. “Boohoo. A coma sounds great. I need to get some sleep.” <br/><br/>“You literally sleep more than me.” Dream blurted, the sarcastic remark rolling off his tongue. He was grinning, but it didn’t show through his mask. <br/><br/>“It’s called upgrades, Dream. You look like you need a coma too.” Sapnap mumbled the last part under his breath, averting his gaze, but nothing escaped Dream. A distant slam followed by blocky footsteps sounded throughout the kitchen, welcoming Ant back into the room. Stacks of textbooks towered over him, Ant hugging them close to his chest, threatening to fall over if Ant were ever to misstep and lose his balance. With a little help from Bad floating the pile of books onto the table, and Skeppy enchanting the books to become weightless, Ant effortlessly transported the books the rest of the way. <br/><br/>The first book he pulled from the pile was the Seer book he mentioned earlier. Ant threw it onto the table with an audible slam, cracking the frayed spine open. Dream stood up, walking over to secure a better view. As soon as his eyes landed on the page, he let out a whistle. The book was hefty, but by God, was it <em> ancient </em>. The language on the books dated way back, the information transcribed in obscure symbols and poorly drawn pictures. Dream supposes his chicken scratch handwriting couldn’t quite criticize the ancient language that much. Ant meticulously flips through the thin pages, skipping over chapters and passages that Dream wonders if were ever important. Sapnap nods along, but with the way his eyes frantically grazed the page, Dream could tell Sapnap was as lost as he was. While all this is happening, Ant spoke through his findings, presenting the passages like it was common knowledge. He spoke about the possibility of remembering sounds, although Dream mostly tuned him out. He’d ask Ant to repeat it back to him later anyways; getting Sapnap’s subconscious to bleed into his own was his prime priority. </p><p> </p><p>As Ant neared the ends of the text, Dream’s intuitions grew sour. When Ant turned the page to reveal detailed sketches of an elf subdued in a coma, Sapnap gulped. Rough lines outlined the grimace on a nearby elf’s face, his hands splayed and hovering over the comatose elf’s chest. The ancient language was erratic and repetitive, like whoever wrote it down was in a state of absolute panic. </p><p> </p><p>Ant pointed to a passage with a neater set of transcription, clearing his throat. “It says here that Sapnap, before you sleep, you have to engage in standard conditioning exercises in order to prep your mind.” Sapnap opens his mouth to inquire, but Ant hushes him sharply. “And by that, I mean you have to condition your mind into entering Dream’s subconscious.” Sapnap squinted his eyes in disbelief. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s possible. You can do this by either vividly imagining the scenery around you, or vividly imagining Karl. You could just repeatedly chant that you’re gonna see Dream, and then your brain will comply.”<br/><br/>“Wait-” Dream shook his head, reaching his hand out to tap the page. “How the hell is he going to do that? You only do conditioning exercises if you have the magic in your system. Otherwise you don’t go anywhere.” <br/><br/>Ant hummed, tilting his head. “Yes, but! That’s where this passage comes in. It states that you do these conditioning exercises, with the aid of a potion: where I come in.” Dream expressed a look of understanding, nodding. “The potion is… Dream, we’re going to need your blood.” <br/><br/>Dream sighed, “Yeah, yeah. I figured once you mentioned a potion.” <br/><br/>“Ew, what the hell?” Sapnap retched, bringing a hand over his mouth as he staggered back. “I’m not drinking your blood, Dream. I’m an elf, not a vampire. Plus, that shit is nasty.” <br/><br/>Ant blinked; Dream stifled a chuckle. It was Skeppy that spoke up, pausing in between bites of his muffin. “Sapnap, we’re not animals. He’s going to extract the Seer magic from Dream’s blood, put it into something you can ingest so that it enters your bloodstream. We’re alchemists, not vampires. Plus, your deductive reasoning is shit.” Silence fell upon the group, gaping at Skeppy’s near-perfect prediction of what the solution entailed. <br/><br/>“... <em> Language </em> .” Bad muttered, taking it as his cue to silently stalk out of the kitchen to prep the brewing stands. <br/><br/>“Come on guys; it’s not that hard to deduce.” Skeppy laughs, shamelessly stuffing the remains of the muffins into his mouth. <br/><br/>“It’s not.” Dream sighs, squinting at the passage. Sapnap rolls his eyes, stubbornly choosing to stick true to his words, yet Ant continues. <br/><br/>“Yeah, Skeppy’s right. It won’t be a lot though, Dream, so don’t worry.” Ant reassures, to the both of them. “It’ll be enough magic that it would circulate through your system, and eventually seep into the part of your brain that controls your subconscious, so that’s why you’re going to need to do those conditioning exercises.” <br/><br/>Sapnap scoffs, crossing his arms. “If it’s that easy, why isn’t Dream wanted in several towns or something? If they take his blood, won’t everyone be able to see the future then?” Dream stills, watching the words tumble out of Sapnap’s tongue with confidence and ease. It was a question to think about, definitely, but Ant shook his head with solemnity, his eyes never betraying the page. <br/><br/>“Yeah, but Dream would have to die from blood loss in order for someone to do what he does. Dream’s power is unique in the sense that it’s hard to recreate, and it can only be passed on genetically. In his brain and bloodstream, his DNA synthesizes Seer magic and feeds it into his subconscious. His subconscious is in a constant cycle of replenishment, and that’s why genetics is so important. If your body isn’t genetically coded to produce Seer magic, you’re going to run out, and you won’t have a fun time. How this works is more like you will be an extension of Dream’s capabilities.” <br/><br/>Sapnap looked thoroughly lost; Dream found it amusing. <br/><br/>“I won’t delve into it, but Dream’s magic revolves around consent, so please do your conditioning exercises, okay?” Ant shoots a glare Dream’s way. “That goes for you too, Dream. You need to instruct your magic that you want them to bring Sapnap into the vision while we extract your blood.” <br/><br/>“Sounds great to me.” Dream leaned back to stretch his limbs, craning his neck. His back started to throb from being hunched over so much, but Dream simply gave it a stretch and refused to resume his awful posture. <br/><br/>“I’m confused, but whatever. Fine. I’ll do it.” Sapnap groused, eyes wide with confusion. Dream chuckled, readjusting his mask and pulling at his gloves. Skeppy muttered something under his breath, the muffins on the table dissipating into the atmosphere as he stood up and gestured for Dream to follow him into the potions room. Sapnap tailed after, admiring the mansion’s interior as they walked. The pale lighting gave an illusion of wealth, which Dream would’ve believed if only it weren’t for the mansion being swarmed by thick vines in the midst of a forest. As they climbed flights of stairs, Dream and Sapnap heaved after each step, as the others effortlessly glided upwards. <br/><br/>They pushed open a massive wooden door to reveal Bad surrounded by rows and rows of brewing stands. The stench of spider eyes and bubbling concoctions swirled in their noses, swarming them with an unpleasant sense. Dream balled his fists at his sides as he was directed to the back, where Ant pulled out a sharp piece of metal the size of a rock. Dream was then prompted to prick his finger, as it would be enough to fuel Sapnap for the night. <br/><br/>Skeppy and Bad, on the other hand, were tasked with prepping Sapnap on the dangers of visions, and how to welcome them into his mind. Once Ant deemed Dream’s blood to be sufficient, he carefully wrapped it up with bandage wrap and quickly went to work. Dream walked on over to Sapnap, offering to divulge in pointers and tips that would help him out. Minutes turned to hours, and the afternoon light turned to moonshine peaking through the windows. The faint bubbling of Ant’s brewery echoed throughout the potions room as Sapnap tried his hardest to absorb every piece of information he could like a sponge. <br/><br/>As Ant peppered on his final touches onto the potion, Bad invited the two to stay the night in their several guest rooms they had lying around. Dream and Sapnap agreed, determined to visit Karl in the comfort of a warm bed. Clinks of glass indicated Ant’s success of pouring them into a cup, handing it over to Sapnap. The potion itself glowed a soft pink, emitting a smell that resembled strawberries. For potions, Ant often added flavourers of some kind in order to paint the potion as more appealing to ingest, and they work everytime because Sapnap shrugs and downs it in one go. As the liquid comes into contact with his taste buds, his face sours as he shakes his head, handing the cup back to Ant. <br/><br/>“No!” Bad yelped. “Ugh, you’re not going to eat first?” He pouted, disappointment clouding his expression. <br/><br/>“Not anymore.” Sapnap grinned, tugging Dream by his elbow and walking off into the hallway. “I’m gonna visit Karl. Thanks guys. See you in the morning!” He waves, strutting towards one of the guest bedrooms. <br/><br/>As Sapnap drags him across, Dream offers a smile to the three, conveying a message of ‘I’ll try my best’, and they understand. Bad and Skeppy gesture a thumbs up, as Ant offered a smile in return. <br/><br/>As they make their way down the hallway, Dream can practically feel the nervousness and fear radiating from Sapnap’s character. As they walk into their preferred room, furnished with twin beds, Dream can feel the familiar gut feeling of indecision swirling in his stomach. This entire idea was ridiculous, and too good to be true, but if Dream was able to visit Karl last night through a half-assed method, he needed to invest more faith into this process. Worries started to clog his mind: worries about Karl, and what his message could entail, worries about himself and the risks that this plan pulled along, and most of all, worries about Sapnap and how he was dealing with all this. Soon enough, the two found themselves tucked into their respective beds, anticipation robbing them of their energy. <br/><br/>“Are you ready, Sapnap?” Dream joked, sinking his head into the pillow. His blonde hair was tousled, his mask and cloak in a pile by the entrance. <br/><br/>Sapnap let out an audible chuckle, wrapping the blanket tighter around his shoulders. In a few minutes, he’d either see Karl, or he’d wake up with no recollection of the night before. In a few minutes, Dream would either slip into a coma due to a failed plan, or things would go perfectly fine. After a few seconds of silence, Sapnap sighed, turning to face Dream as his eyes drifted shut. <br/><br/>“Ready as I’ll ever be.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Remember When</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>sapnap pov pog?!</p><p>sapnap sees karl in a dream, and is hit with something he doesn't expect, and experiences the 5 stages of grief.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hello is me again :]</p><p>i told you guys i'd do weekly updates. next update might be a lil slow ONLY BECAUSE... i am planning to make it very dnf-centered and i need to pour MY BEST WORK INTO THIS (also school is an ass)</p><p>so therefore yes i am planning to make each chapter 5k-15k words (next chapter is estimated to be 20k) with biweekly updates enjoy the sapnap pov and the karlnap angst ... meow meow</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sapnap doesn’t know what he was expecting when he fell asleep that night, but it certainly wasn’t this. He’d done what Bad and Skeppy advised: chanting encouraging phrases to himself that would stimulate the magic, envisioning the beach in Florens to the highest detail that he could recall, the caws of the seagulls, the crash of the waves against the sand, the way the sand cushioned his feet as he walked across shells and pebbles. He’d done everything that they asked, so why was he not in Florens? When Sapnap drifted into his subconscious, he somewhat forgot to keep himself aware of his drifting consciousness. Instead, he was surrounded by a forest, resembling that of the one outside Skeppy’s mansion. Did he screw this up? The worst part was that he wasn’t sure how to wake himself up, and his heart started to pound against his ribs. He cursed himself internally for not even thinking about it in the first place, when they’d hinted several times of the risks of a coma.<br/>
<br/>
He whipped his head around, panic flowering in his bloodstream, clogging his veins. His breathing turned shallow, quick, frantic. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Where was Karl? Why did he have to put himself through this to see him? Why couldn’t Karl just be here with him?<br/>
<br/>
“Sapnap.” Sapnap stilled, his eyes flitting between the trees to locate the source of the voice. “Breathe.” The voice surrounded him, echoing between the fluids of his brain. The reverberations were distorted at the ends, rendering the voice unrecognizable. He stopped, and did as the voice told. Balling his fists at his side, his lungs expanded as he took in a shaky inhale. “Good. You need to calm down.” The more deep breaths Sapnap allowed himself, the more the voice diminished from a booming echo into… into the dorky voice of…<br/>
<br/>
“Karl?” Sapnap croaked, his throat running dry.<br/>
<br/>
“You’re here!” Karl’s giggle rang through the midnight air, although he was still nowhere to be seen. “I can’t believe Dream actually listened to me for once.” His chest caved in, the relief flooding his circulation. Whatever breath he had in him was knocked out of his lungs from the pure rush of relief he felt, a smile breaking on his face.<br/>
<br/>
“Where are you?” Sapnap pushed, pacing himself amongst the dirt, scanning his surroundings. “Why aren’t you here?” If his voice broke near the end, Karl didn’t comment on it.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh.” Karl’s cheeriness faltered. “I’m waiting for Dream to join us. He’s… it’s taking a while because you’re here.” His tone grew cold like the air around them, making Sapnap’s insides stir. He stopped, leaning against a tree. Bad said bringing Sapnap would require all his energy, but Sapnap never stopped to think how much energy that would entail.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh.” Sapnap knocked against the bark, pursing his lips. Regret and disappointment pooled at the bottom of his stomach.  “How long will he be?”<br/>
<br/>
“I don’t know.” Sapnap could imagine him shrugging, frowning softly. “I can feel him struggling, but I’m glad you got through. I <em> really </em> needed you here.” Karl let out a soft chuckle, Sapnap melting into the sound. <em> God, he’d missed him. </em> The wind rustled the branches overhead, leaves flowing with the gust. For something that was constructed in his head, Sapnap was impressed at the vividry of it all. As his eyes grazed the ground, flitting between the buds of flowers beneath his feet, he sighed.<br/>
<br/>
“I miss you so much, Karl.” Sapnap breathed, digging his nails into his palm. It hadn’t been that long since he last saw him, but the fact that Karl needed him here didn’t mean good things for them. If anything, he fully expected terrible news once he awoke. “Sorry— I just… really needed to tell you that.”<br/>
<br/>
“I miss you too.”  Sapnap could imagine Karl’s pout as he said it, never failing to make him soft enough to crumble into the ground. A soft warmth cycled through his lungs; it was enough to allow a momentary grin on Sapnap’s lips. Keyword: momentary. A dreading feeling loomed over his back, sending chills down his spine the more he anticipated the bad news that awaited him. What if he never wakes up from this vision? What if him and Dream are stuck here because of him? What if he were to never see Karl ever again once he awoke?<br/>
<br/>
He quickly tried to silence his thoughts with a joke, “We need to work on our aim if we’re missing each other this much.” Karl snorted, making Sapnap muster up a smile. Unfortunately, his worries took ahold of him The silence stretched on between them, the moment of fondness disappearing as quickly as it came. “Why won’t you reveal yourself?” Sapnap blinked back tears he didn’t know he had. A part of him was thankful Dream wasn’t here to see this. The amount of vulnerability he exuded was surprising, especially to himself. The more this vision went on, the more he realized how much he missed Karl. He missed the way they’d hang out in libraries in the afternoon. He missed the way they’d hunt for stars during clear evening skies. Hell, Sapnap just missed <em> him </em> .<br/>
<br/>
“I told you, Sapnap. I’m waiting for Dream.” Karl reiterated; Sapnap’s disappointment at his answer was immeasurable. Sapnap released the pressure from his nails, relieving his palm. He soon transitioned into crossing his fingers, mindlessly tapping the side of his thigh. A rustle of leaves caused Karl to speak up. “Actually- I think he’s here now.”<br/>
<br/>
A crack of sticks and a thud indicated Dream’s arrival, causing Sapnap to turn his heel and locate the source of the sound. Before him was Dream, his mask adorned, soothing the side of his head as he crouched along the grass. The hood of his cloak was pulled down to reveal his hair, and he looked frazzled and weary.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s Dream!” Karl bubbled, his voice radiating his giddiness. “Okay, great. Dream, can you hear me?”<br/>
<br/>
Dream looked up, his stance rigid. He didn’t waste a single breath as he spoke, cutting straight to the bone. “Yes. I got Sapnap here, but you need to make this quick. Sapnap won’t be able to stay for long.” The fact Dream spoke in his serious, monotonous voice didn’t ease his concerns. Whatever Sapnap was expecting Karl to tell him, it wasn’t enough to prepare him for the information that was to come.<br/>
<br/>
Karl sighed. “I know.” Dream moved forward to link his arm around Sapnap’s elbow, making him gulp. “Okay, wow. I guess I’m going to reveal myself now.” Karl laughed, but hints of uncertainty were laced within his vowels.<br/>
<br/>
A snap resounded across the evening air, and soon enough, the colour in their surroundings started to fade away. The mansion in the distance dissipated into the background, being replaced by an eerie white haze. Their reality seemed to shift, the corners of the forest meshed with the insides of castle walls. Sapnap stilled, focusing on the warmth wrapped around his arm. Dream stayed by his side, refusing to let go. It was at times like these that Sapnap wished he hadn’t been wearing that damn mask; he was scared out of his mind, and he felt like an absolute coward for being so. A warrior isn’t supposed to be afraid to see their fiance, hell, would a warrior be afraid of getting stuck in their subconscious? Sapnap shook his head, his gaze flicking between the lines of his changing environment. The moon shone overhead as the branches that once hung prior evaporated into the atmosphere, and Sapnap took it as his chance to steady his breathing.<br/>
<br/>
All his efforts were for naught, his breath hitching as his eyes caught sight to an approaching figure among the blank haze. Karl’s purple robes were worn and tattered, ripped at the hem. The bags underneath his eyes were darkened and protruding, and Sapnap gaped. The man before him was Karl: his fiance, his soulmate, the <em> love of his life </em> , yet he looked like he’d been through Hell and back. The brown locks that Sapnap once ran his fingers through at night were mussed and tousled, and the smile that Sapnap imagined Karl to exhibit was replaced with a stoic frown. What made it all worse was that Karl looked like he’d been crying, and Sapnap just knew he wasn’t ready. Who would be in a situation like this?<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you guys for coming.” Karl nodded his head, failing to maintain eye contact with the two. “I… I’m thankful you brought Sapnap.”<br/>
<br/>
“Of course.” Dream dipped his head in acknowledgement, tightening the gap between their linked arms. Sapnap could tell Dream was nervous, and it was enough to reassure him, although  slightly. “What is it that you wanted to tell us?”<br/>
<br/>
Karl went to scratch the back of his head, worry engulfing his features. “Um… right. I don’t know how else to say this, but… Dream, do you know why I’m here?”<br/>
<br/>
“You’re a time traveller. Bad told me about it as we were preparing him.” Dream did all the talking as Sapnap’s throat refused to cough up an eligible string of words.<br/>
<br/>
“I see.” Karl murmured, clearing his throat. “Um, the trouble I’m in is actually… regarding that.” At that, Sapnap’s throat ran dry. Could it be…<br/>
<br/>
“Karl, don’t say that you…” The words die out as Sapnap attempts to croak, his vocal cords straining and tugging. Karl offered a pitiful smile in response, a sinking feeling melding itself into a turmoil in his gut.<br/>
<br/>
Dream tilts his head, and Karl elaborates; Sapnap clenches his eyes shut as he attempts to block out the words. “Dream… the more I time travel, the more I… the more versions of me there are that span across multiple timelines and parallel universes, and the more times I stretch myself across various futures and pasts… the more of myself I lose.” <em> Oh no. </em> “Dream, I… Where we are right now is the Inbetween, and the only reason I’m here is that I can-” Karl takes a deep breath; Tears start welling up in Sapnap’s eyes “-Look. The Inbetween is where I can basically be myself. It’s a dimension separate from the timelines of reality, but the thing is—” Sapnap already knows what he’s about to say, and he feels <em> sick “ </em> —the version of me in reality has reached their limits. I’ve done so much already: I’ve righted the wrongs, and I’m confident we’re in the best possible position that I could bring us in, but at a terribly high cost.” Karl locks eyes with Sapnap, his lip quivering. “Sapnap, be honest. How bad do you want me to come home?”<br/>
<br/>
The question is laced with vulnerability, a silent plea, and Sapnap already knows why. A part of him wants to say no, to refuse, and shield himself from the oncoming hurt, but today he feels selfish. “...More than you know.” He chokes out, biting down on his tongue as the words tumble out.<br/>
<br/>
“No, don’t tell me that you…” Dream finally realized, straightening his back as he stepped forward. “Karl, no.”<br/>
<br/>
“Dream, I’ve stretched my existence across too many timelines for me to maintain my memory. The version of myself that lives in Perforo with Sapnap is about to become nothing but an empty husk of what he used to be.” This was it. This was what Karl wanted to tell him, and Sapnap should’ve seen it coming. When they first started to talk, and Sapnap learnt about Karl’s tendency to travel through time, they’d treated it like a fun quirk they’d use to their advantage or for their jokes. They’d treat it like a game where Karl would mess with tiny things to impress Sapnap, but once they grew older, and Karl was tasked with far more serious things bigger than himself, that’s when they started to notice. At first, it took hold of tiny blips in his thinking, like forgetting how to count to a certain number, and then forgetting how to do simple calculations. Then, it evolved into Karl forgetting superficial things like what book he’d signed out from the library the week prior, and eventually into forgetting birthdays and far worse things. After every trip to the past, or the future, Sapnap would wait with bated breath through the utter dread of Karl returning and losing more parts of himself. At first, he wasn’t too fazed by his memory loss because at least they’d still have each other. They’d still fall asleep by each other’s side, with their legs tangled and their bodies close. They’d still wake up by each other’s side, and they’d still be <em> them </em>. If Sapnap was being honest, he’d noticed Karl’s distance in the past few weeks, but he was too afraid to comment. He’d often drown out his worries by spending hours upon hours with Karl once he returned all in the name of ‘creating new memories’. They’d tire themselves out with everything Perforo had to offer: parks, festivals, cafes, and more. Yet, he should’ve seen that it wasn’t enough. The light behind Karl’s eyes started to fade like a flame on a burnt wick. The energy that once motivated Sapnap to get out of bed soon left his side, being dragged away by Karl’s diminishing identity. Sapnap went to clench his fists. He should’ve seen this coming. He knew the risks that Karl endured with his power; the worst part was he knew it was inevitable. Who was he to prevent Karl from pursuing the ideal future? </p><p> </p><p>Karl cautioned a step forward, his hand reaching out to rest on Sapnap’s shoulder. “I’ll come back, Sapnap. I’ll return to Perforo when you do, but I needed to tell you that I won’t be the same. Once I leave the Inbetween... that is <em> it </em> . There is no more business for me here, and my memories will vanish come morning.”<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap wanted to cry. Better yet, he wanted to sink into the ground and crumble into the soil. His eyes watered, and his vision grew glassy. The Karl he once knew was going to be gone, and he didn’t know what to do. Karl was returning back to him, but he wouldn’t know a single thing about him. He wouldn’t know about their anniversary, or their engagement. He wouldn’t remember all the nights they’d spent at the meadow, watching the stars overhead. He wouldn’t know anything of what they currently have, or… had.<br/>
<br/>
“Karl.” Dream’s voice snapped Sapnap out of his trance, his tone cold and calculated. “There has to be another way. You can’t possibly bring us through all this trouble just to tell us you’re forgetting who you are. There <em> has </em> to be something else.” A hint of desperation spiked in between his syllables, but Sapnap couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.<br/>
<br/>
Karl offered a pitiful smile, his eyes gleaming with hope. “Well, about that… there is way for you to bring back my memories, but it’s—”<br/>
<br/>
“Tell me how.” Dream cut in. Sapnap’s lips parted, his ears perking up.<br/>
<br/>
“Okay.” Karl breathed, digging into the several pockets of his robes to pull out a large book that didn’t look like it could possibly fit from where it came. Sapnap immediately recognizes the title: <em> The Lost Constellation. </em> He and Karl had picked it out one afternoon, when Karl wouldn’t quite quit raving about astronomy. He cracked open the spine, flipping through the pages with haste. “I don’t… I’m sorry. I don’t remember much, but I do know the answers to it lies in the library. I’ve left notes to myself there, on how to retrieve it all back.” Hope started to swirl around in Sapnap’s lungs, filling and expanding his chest with every shaky breath he took. “I’m not sure if there’s much else you can go off of, but…” Karl snaps the book shut, relaxing his features as his watchful eyes peer into Sapnap’s, “...I just needed to tell you, so you wouldn’t be surprised when I…”<br/>
<br/>
“I get it.” Sapnap puts out, straining his throat. Dream loosens his grip beside him, and Sapnap can feel himself losing touch with his surroundings.<br/>
<br/>
“Shit, we need to go. Sapnap’s subconscious is fading.” Dream rushes out in one breath. “Is there anything else you need from us Karl?”<br/>
<br/>
Karl fiddled with the thread of his robes, biting his lip. “Not anything I can think of.” Time was running out, with white noise piercing through Sapnap’s ears. “Actually- Dream, could I talk with Sapnap for a bit?”<br/>
<br/>
Dream took a step back, his voice hesitant. “...Sure.” Karl muttered a ‘thank you’ as the two watched Dream fade away from the vision. Dream couldn’t guarantee complete privacy considering he was Sapnap’s anchor to this dimension, but he did offer to silence his senses and allow for some time alone, although it may be partial.<br/>
<br/>
When the two were sure they were somewhat alone, Sapnap turned to face Karl, tilting his head. “Karl?” He was immediately cut off as Karl rushed forward, throwing his arms around Sapnap’s neck and pulling him into a hug. Sapnap froze momentarily, before sinking into his touch. The warmth of him felt real; <em> too </em> real. What’s worse is that Sapnap knew this was a hug goodbye, and it <em> hurt </em> . “Karl…” His throat closed up as he awkwardly returned the gesture, his hands trembling as they travelled up Karl’s back.<br/>
<br/>
“I won’t be gone long.” Karl murmured against his shoulder, burying his face against the white of his fabric. The intimacy of it all was enough to break him; the dam boarding up Sapnap’s tears burst, gushing hot tears down his cheeks, seeping into Karl’s hair. Sapnap tightened his grasp around Karl, breathing in his scent, soaking up his presence before it was gone from him.<br/>
<br/>
“You’ll come back.” Sapnap intended it as a question, but it came out as an attempt to convince himself of an ideal. Karl nodded, shooting a short lived rush of relief through Sapnap, but was quickly overshadowed as he lost feeling in his own legs.<br/>
<br/>
“I’ll come back.” Karl reassured. Sapnap’s vision blurred, his lungs caving in on themselves. His grip on his subconscious became loose, slipping him back into reality. Karl’s figure was reduced to a feather’s touch on his arms, and Sapnap cried. All he could do was hold onto him and wait for him to go completely. Sapnap feels the tides of the vision pulling him away, away from Karl. He can start to feel the sun beating down onto his cheek, signifying his waking body. He was on the brink, and the wind was knocked out of him as Karl declares out, “ <em> I love you. </em> ”<br/>
<br/>
This is it. This is goodbye. Everything is happening too fast. Sapnap can’t even register his last words as they escape Karl’s lips. White blankets his vision, and before Sapnap can formulate an answer, his eyes jolt open to reveal the guest bedroom of Skeppy’s mansion. His brain takes a second to recall everything he just experienced— the calm before the storm. As memories of Karl hammer into his brain alongside the comforting touch of his embrace, Sapnap feels the pain and hurt fester in his heart, aching in his ribs. The daunting realization of Karl’s absence loomed over him like a storm cloud, ready to strike him at any moment. Sapnap shook his head. He wasn’t going to cry. He needed to be headstrong, and to find a way to return Karl’s memories to him. He’s a warrior, for God’s sake, shouldn’t that mean he needed to be tough? To be strong in times of need?<br/>
<br/>
He hears Dream groan from the other side of the room, taking a deep breath. Tears welled up in Sapnap’s eyes, but he quickly willed them back in. The hurt doesn’t go away as he gets up off the bed to face Dream, and the hurt doesn’t go away when he nods, pinching his eyebrows together, “Let’s head back to Perforo.”<br/>
<br/>
Dream doesn’t refuse, returning the gesture as he slipped on his mask and pulled his cloak over his shoulders. This was the standard for them both: getting down to business, and leaving no room for any inconsistencies. Thankfully, a knock sounds from the bedroom door, then Skeppy struts into the room with his hand stuffed into the pockets of his light blue robes. His eyes widened at the sight of the two, “I take it that things went well then?”<br/>
<br/>
“Definitely.” Sapnap spoke up, masking his worries with the loud personality so many people are so familiar with. “Props to Ant for making it work though. I saw Karl, he told us what he wanted to tell us, and it was… there weren't any complications or anything like that. Thankfully.”<br/>
<br/>
Skeppy squinted, unconvinced. “...Okay? And… are you going to tell me what Karl told you?” He tilted his head, dragging out his syllables for emphasis. Dream looked over his shoulder, asking for permission. Sapnap pursed his lips, tentatively nodding his head.<br/>
<br/>
“I think it’s best if we told Bad and Ant as well.” Dream suggested, stepping forward. Skeppy blinked, backing up against the door as he sighed. Rolling his eyes, he complied, muttering some charms under his breath that willed the blankets to straighten themselves accordingly onto the mattress into a neat arrangement. As they made their way downstairs, Dream informed him about their decision to leave immediately, with Skeppy understanding sincerely. He led them to a distant hallway near the kitchen, and allowed them a few minutes in the bathrooms in case they felt like sneaking a shower before they embarked on their journey back.<br/>
<br/>
They accepted the offer almost instantly, lacking the ability to refuse a hot shower. Sapnap was almost too enthusiastic about it, but he knew he’d needed it. When he’s scheduled at his duties, the warriors are only entitled to cold baths all for the sake of keeping soldiers alert and to strengthen up muscles. The Knighthood backed up their reasoning through scholars and scientific breakthroughs, but all it served to do was to heighten Sapnap’s cravings for a hot shower with burning beads of water beating against his back.<br/>
<br/>
As Sapnap stripped himself of his clothes and stepped into the shower, he pulled the knob to its hottest setting. The soothing heat against his back comforted him, soaking into his raven black hair as he let out a sigh. The burning sensation stung against his skin, but soon disappeared as Sapnap allowed himself to drown in the feeling. The heat resembled that of fire: the fire he was supposed to inherit, the fire of Karl’s contagious energy that would light up even his darkest nights. <em> Fuck, </em> Sapnap squeezes his eyes shut, <em> Stop thinking about Karl. </em> The more he attempted to push away his thoughts, the more they returned with a force stronger than the last, like how Karl would be the one to push Sapnap to his limits, always attempting things with more determination than the last. <em> Karl always tried to outdo himself, </em> Sapnap brought his hands up to encompass his eyes, <em> Now look where that’s gotten him. </em> He pushed against his eyelids, willing the thoughts to cease scraping against his brain. <em> Stop thinking about that. You </em> always <em> do this.  </em></p><p> </p><p>It was true. Ever since Karl left for his journeys, oftentimes when his mind would wander alone, they’d always return to the subject that was Karl. His heart would flutter with longing, hope that Karl was safe in whatever he occupied himself with on his missions. His mind would race, mindlessly tying Karl into every single thought he’s ever had. It had gotten to the point where Sapnap no longer had an outlet for how much he missed Karl, so he resorted to ranting and raving about him at every minute of every day. At first, he’d be self-conscious of what Dream thought of him, whether or not he considered him pathetic for being so clingy, but all Dream offered him was a welcoming ear. In fact, Karl invades his thoughts to the point it’s become a sort of coping mechanism for him while he’s away, so Sapnap lets his mind drift.<br/>
<br/>
As he scrubs away the dirt and grime of the past few days, Sapnap envisions his fiance with his dorky goggles, and his fluffy hair. He envisions his smile, and how whenever he laughed he’d slap a palm over his mouth and get all giggly. As he massages shampoo into his scalp, he envisions him in the forest, in the vision, and his eyes water. He blames it on the shampoo. He envisions the exhaustion on his face, the panic in his voice, and the regret in his smile. His tears roll off his cheeks to splash against the tub, only to swirl alongside the soap suds down the drain. The water doesn’t fail to scorch his back, and he lets out a snort. Funnily enough, the last time he’d taken a shower this hot was the day Karl left for his most recent trip. They’d packed his things early, his sack full of timely clothes from the era he was heading towards and a collection of novellas if he were to ever get bored. So, naturally, they had a few hours to spare, and Sapnap slipped into the shower while Karl sat on their tiled bathroom floor. They spent their last night together laughing over soap and the probability of Sapnap slipping and breaking his back. Fleeting moments of “I’m joining you” and “Karl, no you’re not” sounded across their walls, radiating the pure contentment they found in each other’s company. Karl stepped out of the bathroom that night to allow him some privacy, and once Sapnap got dressed in his nightgown, they’d spent the rest of the evening cuddling on their mattress, basking in each other’s presence one last time. Sapnap could still remember the tufts of brown hair that tickled his nose, and the soft skin that his hands caressed by candlelight.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“You’ll come back, won’t you?” He remembers cooing into his hair, pressing soft kisses into his scalp. </p><p> </p><p>“I always do.” Karl stifled a giggle, burying his face into Sapnap’s chest. Sapnap breathed a sigh of contentment in return, allowing his eyes to drift closed. Karl never broke his promises; it’s what Sapnap firmly believed, priding himself with the fact because it was the only guarantee he had. Now, Sapnap stands alone in the shower with hot beads running down his back alongside hot tears running down his cheeks, yet all the warmth he felt could never compensate for the comfort that he found in Karl. Nothing could ever compare to having Karl close to him, physically with him, and he hated it.<br/>
<br/>
As he steps out of the shower, he lets his feelings run their course, slumping down onto the tiled floor in his towel, dropping his head into his hands. He’s not sure how long he stays there for, wallowing in his own misery. A shy knock on the door indicated he’d been wallowing for long enough. He’d quickly thrown on a change of clothes that Dream had packed in his potato sack the day prior, hastily tying the white headband across his forehead, wiping the frown off his face. Pulling the door aside revealed Dream standing alongside Skeppy, arms crossed as he was engaged in conversation about a strange entity Bad tried to conjure up one night. His dusty blond hair was still wet from his shower, the droplets prominent in the morning light. His pointed ears perked up as Sapnap stepped out, rays of sunlight bouncing off his mask, illuminating his side profile. Skeppy raised his brows, a smile breaking upon his face as he greeted him and escorted the two into the kitchen.<br/>
<br/>
His stomach recoiled, still queasy with the idea of losing Karl. Sapnap bit down onto his tongue, fighting the urge to puke in the middle of their mansion. Thankfully, they approached the open doorway, finding Bad hunched over the kitchen counter, chopping up some vegetables from their garden with Ant as his assistant. Pans and pots idled over the stovetops, with Bad hovering wooden spoons over them like it was nothing. Sapnap scrunched up his nose as he was hit by a whiff that smelled of exotic spices that could’ve only been bought off from the ‘rich part’ of Perforo’s market, as Sapnap likes to call it. Bad and Ant were engaged in conversation, giggling to themselves about whatever Skeppy told Dream about earlier. He needed to force himself to be okay. <em> Keep calm, Sapnap. </em> He took a heavy breath, preparing himself to inform Bad about their findings. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on his breathing. He felt air flow through his nostrils, down into his lungs, circling his ribs as it festered, only for it to be gently repelled out of his body. As he repeated the motion several times, the feeling of nausea and regret dumbed itself down to a tolerable state. Resting his hands on his hips, Sapnap let out a huff. “Were you guys not concerned about my safety or something?”<br/>
<br/>
Bad spun around, the floating objects remaining in mid-air, surprise coating his features. “Oh! You’re not in a coma.” He clapped his palms together, beaming. “That’s good! I knew it would work.”<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap blinked, finding his hands to be jittery. “Do you have <em> no </em> faith in me, Bad?” Comically, he clutched at his heart, gripping the fabric as he grimaced in mock grief. “That <em> pains </em> me.” Dream stood beside him, emotionless and still, adjusting the ends of his cloak. Sapnap’s almost too sure he can feel his struggling all the way from there, but Sapnap didn’t quit masking his worry with a facade of witty banter.<br/>
<br/>
Skeppy stifled a giggle, walking over to the chestnut table as Bad shot him a glare. Ant didn’t move since the whole debacle started, completely occupied with the task at hand that he was detached from the whole situation. Sapnap didn’t blame him. He’s the only other person who would understand the importance of food as a priority, anyways. Bad shook his head, Bad throwing his arms out, reaching out for Sapnap as he frowned. “No, Sapnap! I was kidding. Skeppy was the muffin that kept saying you’d suffer the worst, but you’re awake!”<br/>
<br/>
Skeppy crossed his arms, sinking down into a rickety chair as he rolled his eyes. “I was just making sure he was aware of the risks.” Dream silently stalked towards the table, falling into the seat beside Skeppy, with Sapnap soon following suit.<br/>
<br/>
“Aware of the risks, my ass.” Dream snorted. “You’re too much of a downer, Skeppy.” Sapnap nodded, thankful for Dream obtaining control of the conversation. To bide his time, Sapnap’s eyes wandered over to Ant and his cutting board, watching the laser-like precision he cut his vegetables with, the speed and ease that couldn’t be matched in a million lifetimes. Bad noticed his productivity, returning his attention towards the stove as various ingredients from around the kitchen flew their way into the pots and pans. A grumble escaped from Sapnap’s stomach, and he nodded knowingly. With the amount of food Bad presented him with, Sapnap was thankful to be left anticipating a buffet before his ride back to Perforo.<br/>
<br/>
The only thing snapping him out of his trance was Dream slamming his fist into the table, getting into a heated debate with Skeppy over pineapples for some reason. Bad rushed to the table to break up the commotion, Sapnap in awe of the record speed he performed in, scolding them with an exaggerated frown. As usual, the Badland wizards waited for the food to hit the table before confronting serious conversational topics, and Sapnap would’ve appreciated the generous time of shameless elation if only he weren’t physically trying to contain himself from falling apart. The worst part of it all was that he was afraid he was overreacting, like he did when Skeppy exaggerated the cons of bringing someone into your dream. He couldn’t dare ask Dream, and <em> God </em> , sometimes Sapnap wishes Dream would be willing to live without his mask for once. When his mask is off, he at least has an idea of what he’s feeling because it’s all on display. With his mask on, Sapnap can’t identify any emotions, nor could he identify <em> him </em> . The whole point of the mask anyways, once his reputation started to rise, was because of the mystery of his identity. Sapnap bit his lip, cursing himself as he realized a cool business tactic came to bite him when he needed his reaction the most.<br/>
<br/>
“Is that all?” Ant questions, tilting his head. Sapnap snaps his head forwards, pulled back into reality as he gazes at his surroundings, rapidly blinking. The food had been distributed, crispy salad and breaded chicken decorating his plate. Skeppy was already halfway, loudly slurping on a bowl of steaming soup. Dream nods beside him, then goes on to talk about their procedure for when they arrive in Perforo. <em> God </em> , he hadn’t even started eating yet. Sapnap mentally punches himself in the head. He’d been too busy silently fussing over the lack of Dream’s facial expressions that he’d completely missed Dream informing them of the vision in full detail. <em> Would it be considered a vision if it was real? A time travel? </em> Sapnap’s head spins.<br/>
<br/>
The conversation is broken up by frantic whinnies of Moomoo echoing from outside, then a thunderous knock at the door. Everyone at the table straightens, utensils dropping onto the surface with a clang of metal as adrenaline runs its course, chalking them up with high alert. Skeppy gulps down his food, pinching his brows together. Dream and Sapnap were the only two that regularly visited the Badlands, because they were the only two that actually knew it existed. Whoever was at the door was something they needed to be concerned about, and they all realized it. Bad was the first to stand up, gesturing his index finger over his lips as his lips fell into a thin line. He raised his eyebrows momentarily, peering at Skeppy, who promptly started muttering enchantments under his breath. Almost instantly, a glassy texture appeared across the open doorway to the kitchen, Sapnap recognizing it as an invisible barrier. His eyes widened in awe. He’d only seen invisible barriers in picture books, but never in practice. Bad nodded in gratitude before shuffling over to the mansion door. The silence stretched with every mute step Bad took, carefully avoiding any noise. Ant’s eyes are wide, whipping back and forth between the entrance and the potions room. Dream lowered his posture, in an attempt to catch sight of whoever was at the entrance.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Bad used his powers to warily unlock the mansion doors, pulling it open. “Oh.” Skeppy echoed, as everyone sagged in relief to the sight of a familiar dark green, gas mask, and crown. “It’s just Sam.” Those at the table breathed a collective sigh of relief, with the invisible barrier falling away, disappearing into the wooden floor.<br/>
<br/>
“Sam!” Bad scowled, his voice shrilling the air. “Don’t scare us like that!” The mansion doors were swung wide open now, welcoming him in. Moomoo and Dream’s horse were lain upon the grass, trampling on pink flowers that Sapnap hopes doesn’t hold any sort of importance to Bad, Ant, or Skeppy. Sam apologizes, bowing his head as he hastily let himself in.<br/>
<br/>
“Got a day off from the prison institute?” Skeppy jokes, but was immediately cut off as Sam rushed into the kitchen, heading straight for Sapnap. As he approached him, he rested a hand on Sapnap’s shoulder, pity swirling behind his eyes.<br/>
<br/>
Sam momentarily looks up, acknowledging Skeppy. “They let me go on an emergency.” Sapnap’s heart raced, knowing what he meant. “Look,” Sam grimaced, “Karl’s at the prison.” The sentence alone is enough to make him pale.<br/>
<br/>
“What?!” Dream spouted, standing up from his seat so fast his chair topples backwards. “Don’t tell me he’s detained—” Sapnap would reflect the same sentiment if only his throat didn’t run dry at the sheer thought of Karl returning to this timeline.<br/>
<br/>
Sam held out his palm towards him, “No. I pearled here as soon as he spawned in.” He explained, Sapnap clinging onto every word. “I was on guard duty, and I don’t know how or why, but he spawned in one of the broom closets unexpectedly. Normally, I wouldn’t be too concerned about it, but I did the memory checks with him and—” The tension in the kitchen could be cut with a butterknife, the utter anticipation for Sam to finish his sentence clogging Sapnap’s senses. “—he remembered his name, and his age, and where he was from, but…” The words die in his throat, and Sapnap doesn’t need anything more to know what his words entailed.<br/>
<br/>
“Sam, I think that’s enough.” Dream advised, his voice low and wary. “Is Karl still at the prison?”<br/>
<br/>
Sam regretfully shook his head, hanging from his neck as he sighed. “No. I urged him to go back to Perforo, and he did say he remembered his way back, but I gave him a map and a few pearls just in case. I only came here to say because I mean- if he forgot me then who’s to say that h-”<br/>
<br/>
“ <em> Sam </em> .” Dream hissed, vigorously shaking his head. The dread contaminating Sapnap’s insides only worsened with Sam’s news. Karl was back, and his memory was gone. Dream patted him on the shoulder, nodding towards the door. “Sapnap, I think it’s time we go.”<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap fought to gulp down his worries, his stomach running queasy. Dream allowed him to take his time, bidding farewell to the wizards, and through a whirlwind of rushed goodbyes, Sapnap found himself mounted upon Moomoo with Dream galloping beside him on his own horse. The sun was searing into his scalp, the heat hovering around his body. He’d bunched the sleeves of his tunic, an attempt to allow for more perspiration. Dream still had his cloak swarming his shoulders, Sapnap wondering how he’d been keeping cool in clothes like that. When asked about it, Dream let out a chuckle, “If you hadn’t noticed, I’m wearing shorts.” Sapnap’s eyes flitted downwards only to find his words to be true. Although, his legs were wrapped with bandages and the like, only to find him barefoot, his boots nowhere to be found. “Left them at the mansion.” Dream filled in.<br/>
<br/>
“That’s dumb.” He quipped, pulling Moomoo’s reigns as he scoffed. “If you burn your feet, that’s not on me.”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, yeah.” Dream waved a hand, dismissing him. “Don’t you want to feel the grass beneath your feet, Sapnap?” He cooed, mocking a high-pitched voice reserved for young children.<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap stared, rolling his eyes as he urged Moomoo to increase her speed. Dream let out a yelp of protest before urging his horse to catch up to speed. Moomoo was breezing through the fields, Sapnap feeling the cool hard-hitting wind pound against his face. Their journey back sped by, entertaining their boredom with lighthearted competition, easing their lungs into shared laughs. The witty banter coursed through his system, numbing the feeling of loss even if only for a second. Sapnap’s lungs heave, exhilarated from how hard he’d been laughing prior. Dream’s doubled over, resting his head against his horse’s mane as he tried to calm his oncoming wheeze. The two were a giggling fit of amusing bliss, wheezing out one-liners that only further worsen their laughs. Soon enough, the two transition from grass fields and forestry onto cobblestone pavements headed into civilization, into Perforo. Sapnap feels the familiar feeling of dread circle through his ribs, bleeding into his lungs. The light and happiness from earlier fading with the falling sun.</p><p> </p><p>Naturally, Perforo welcomed them with awe and praise, and most importantly, with open arms. Dream always greeted the townsfolk with reserved acknowledgement, such as shallow nods or rigid waves. It was what they planned for his image, and to keep his reputation as mysterious as they liked it to be, but Sapnap always found something off with how different Dream became around certain people. The thing about Perforo was that it never really felt like home to him, or at least in the way that people expect of him. Dream and Karl are his primary reasons for staying and not running off with the Knighthood to a secluded training camp in the mountains, but slowly that had diminished over time. Once Dream started becoming more closed off, hiding himself behind the pale blank mask, Sapnap found Perforo’s colours to start to dim. Karl was what splashed a pop of colour onto his palette when he needed it the most, allowing him reason and purpose in Perforo. As long as he stayed with Karl, Perforo would feel like home because Karl felt like home. But now… the looming worry of Karl’s memory caused his hopes to diminish, his shameless optimism slowly disintegrating the more people stared at their approaching figures, parading into the market.<em> Sapnap, focus. You need to stay in character. </em>He scolded himself internally, silently cringing at his own lack of enthusiasm to the crowd. So, he turned a blind eye to the shadow of doubt over his shoulder, turning to the crowd, brandishing a smile.</p><p> </p><p>✧</p><p> </p><p>Building their own personal library wasn’t something Sapnap planned as their first project as fiances, but he wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea. Karl insisted that they’d build it on the outskirts of Perforo, ‘away from danger’ as he phrased it. Sapnap rolled his eyes at the sentiment, finding his fiance to be comical, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t find it completely adorable. The border around Perforo tiptoed among biomes of overgrown mushrooms and excessive flower fields, which Karl deemed perfect surroundings for a library. He’d only been informed of such a thing the day of, Sapnap waking up to Karl dragging him out of bed at the break of dawn, so it was surprising to find that Karl had arranged for a bandwagon of construction supplies to arrive at their intended location. To add onto his surprise, he soon learned that the library wasn’t built for the general public. Although, he’s convinced he could have guessed from its isolated location.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s just for us!” Karl beamed, transporting a stack of cinder blocks over his arms. Starting construction of a building that would surely take them months, in the middle of spring no less, when everything was still defrosting from winter’s bitter chill, was not Karl’s brightest idea. Now he’s claiming the library to be theirs, an absolute personal project that revolved around them. Sapnap couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. His eyes travelled across Karl’s figure, taking in the dark purple coat shielding him from spring’s breeze, noticing the grand turquoise swirl situated on its front. Sapnap walked over to him, rolling up the sleeves of his tunic as he stretched out his arms, gesturing for Karl to pass him a portion of the cinder blocks. Karl waddled over to the foundation, refusing Sapnap’s chivalry as he threw the blocks onto the dirt grass. Sapnap scoffed, walking over to pick up thick wooden support beams from the wagon. His breaths were shallow as he dusted off his hands, looking to Sapnap. “It could be our home!”<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap’s breath got caught in his throat, the word ‘home’ reverberating through his mind. “Is the house near the market not enough for you?” Their house near the market was a standard wooden house, although somewhat flat around the edges. Karl always found it to be distasteful and bland, and Sapnap didn’t blame him. The two weren’t exactly the boring type when it came to personality, and they’d both had an unspoken agreement to let Perforo know about it and consider it their problem.</p><p> </p><p>“It is!” Karl exasperated, blowing up a cheek. “We don’t use that house anymore— what are you saying? All you do is sleep in Dream’s tents while I’m gone anyways.” Sapnap reels from the sudden bitterness spiking near the end of his sentence.<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap couldn’t fight the smirk that unravelled upon his face, stepping in Karl’s way to lean close to his face. “...Are you jealous?”<br/>
<br/>
Karl’s eyes were wide, and his cheeks were quickly flushing a beet red. “...No.” Hastily shaking his head, he swerved to walk towards the wagon to pick up something, anything to keep himself busy. “Can’t I just build my forever home with my fiance in peace?” He joked, gathering up flimsy twigs that threatened to crumble in his hands.<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap could feel his heart clench, fluttering at every word he spoke. “Aw, you wanna spend forever with me? Really, Karl? On our first day as fiances?”<br/>
<br/>
“Shut up.” Karl rolled his eyes. Sapnap snickers, briefly pecking him on the cheek before hauling the wooden beams onto the foundation. Karl sighs, crouching down onto the dirt to plunge the twigs into the rough soil before shooting back up to run towards an inattentive Sapnap, encompassing his torso with his arms in a tight hug. “Love you.”<br/>
<br/>
“Karl.” Sapnap called, tipping his head back as he smiled. “I love you too. This library is not going to build itself.”<br/>
<br/>
Karl didn’t move, still latched onto his back. “So? Work harder. You’re the strongest man I’ve ever met. In more ways than one.”<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap squinted, turning to face him with a raised brow. “Okay- now you’re just mocking me-”<br/>
<br/>
“I’m not!” Karl loosened his grip, pouting as he murmured into his shoulder. “You can get through anything. Now, be my knight in shining armour and build the library for me.” He giggled, and Sapnap couldn’t help but fond at the man before him. He was so hopelessly in love, and he didn’t care. He’d do anything for Karl, it was true, so why not follow through?</p><p><br/>
✧<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Sapnap winced at the memory, his body physically recoiling. They’d returned their horses to the stables, greeting Callahan on the way, and soon made it back to Dream’s tent. Hues of orange and purple plagued the dusk-swarmed sky, the evening light creeping from under the mountains. “Is it okay if I crash at your tent tonight?” The words feel wrong on his tongue, the guilt of avoiding the library before morning contaminating his taste buds.<br/>
<br/>
“Sure.” Dream agreed, stepping into his tent without further questioning. Sapnap felt a burst of relief, although momentarily, because if he was being honest, he didn’t know how he’d be able to admit it to himself; he didn’t know if he’d be able to admit he was too afraid of facing Karl at the library, to finally find out if the memory warning was true, or if it was a fear-driven nightmare his mind had conjured up from not seeing him all these weeks. Dream quickly pulls off his mask and cloak, both falling to the floor with ease as Dream plops down onto his chair. He dipped his head into his hands, a heavy exhale of exhaustion escaping out of him.<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap warily joined him, but instead, he lowered himself onto the purple carpet, crossing his legs and patting his knees. “...So,” Dream didn’t move, letting the silence stretch on. Sapnap cleared his throat. “What’s the game plan?”<br/>
<br/>
Dream knocked against the table, biting his lip as he stared intently at the splintering surface. “We have to go to the library tomorrow and find that book.” Sapnap paled, turning rigid. “If we bump into Karl, don’t talk to him. I don’t…” His words trailed off, clearly refraining himself from saying anything that would worsen the mood. “Anyways.” Dream turned to face him, his eyes blank yet determined. “I’ll try to summon something, a vision or anything that could help us.”<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap nodded, his lips thin. He soon realized that Dream was asking to peek through his future. He bit the inside of his cheek. “Sure, that’s fine with me.” Dream never really ventured to see his friends’ futures, out of the notion that ‘business should stay business’, and out of respect for his friends’ privacy. Dream muttered a muted thanks, stretching downwards to pick up his sack and fish for his journal.<br/>
<br/>
The silence was soon filled with the distinct scratching of charcoal on rough paper, Dream mercilessly scribbling down details for tonight. The silence was awry, settling a sinking feeling in Sapnap’s gut. An impulse to fill it with pointless noise surged through his veins, jolting him to his feet as he fiddled with his sleeves. “I’m going to find a radio. We need some music in here.”<br/>
<br/>
“Fine by me.” Dream’s voice a low murmur, completely submerged with the task at hand. Sapnap offered a mute nod, before venturing out onto the streets in search for a radio they could use. Radios were the primary source of portable entertainment that Mundus had to offer. Sure, circus acts and theatre shows would inhabit the Fine Arts Capital of Perforo during the summer, but those weren’t something you could enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Not that Sapnap had a home now anyways. He sighs, letting the flames of the enchanted street lamps illuminate the cobblestone path. Citizens soon flocked to their respective homes, the constant chatter that once occupied the streets now fading away with the falling sun. Sapnap received a few smiles and waves from scattering villagers, but he continued his trek towards the market. Carts that were booming with business in the morning light were closed and curtained, leaving the market to resemble that of a wasteland. Yet, he continued forward to the very end of the street, approaching a dimly lit alleyway housing a caravan whose windows glowed an ominous orange.</p><p> </p><p>Inside, he greeted the shopkeeper with warmth, renting out a radio that looked like it was on its last breath. He didn’t complain, considering it was past sunset and the good ones always got rented out in broad daylight. He bid the shopkeeper farewell, sliding them his payment before walking back to the tent. When he returned, Dream was still slouched over the desk, but the pencil fell limp in his hand. “I’m back!” Sapnap announced, his voice ringing through the eerie silence. Dream tensed, whipping his head to face him before relaxing instantly.<br/>
<br/>
“You scared me!” He glared, noticing the frayed radio cradled in Sapnap’s palm. “Right. About that, could you turn on the news first?” Sapnap complied, walking over to the desk and placing the radio in the center, fiddling with the knobs until a distinct static filtered through the air. “Thanks.”<br/>
<br/>
“Not a problem, Dream.” Sapnap went to pat Dream on the shoulder before laying down onto the carpet, resting his head onto the pile of pillows. The knot of his headband persisted against the back of his head, rendering him uncomfortable, yet he made no action to slip it off his forehead. Instead, he turned to face the side, letting his cheek contact the cold soft fabric.</p><p> </p><p>The radio buzzed and hummed, the evening news bumbling about something that Sapnap couldn’t quite care about. Although, he didn’t have much else to do, so his focus fell onto listening to the news with intent. They were talking about a tornado that pounded through a small village north of Mundus, then a crazed phenomenon that involved raining lava. Sapnap sighed, <em> Why was the news always so boring and depressing? </em> “Change it to that talkshow, Chuckle Sandwich or something.” Sapnap yawned. Dream nodded, twisting the knobs until loud boisterous voices emitted from the speakers.<br/>
<br/>
<em> ‘And that was our break. Fellas, hey, have you heard of that weird nightmare shit from yesterday?’  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘Crazy. Crazy. The amount of people speaking up about similar experiences is crazy.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p><em> ‘Right? How does someone just appear in your dreams like that?’ </em><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>At that, Dream straightened his back with Sapnap’s eyes flying open. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘To anyone just tuning in, there have been reported incidents of people seeing a boy in their dreams. Says he can grant anything if only people were to find him.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘What? Isn’t that a genie? Just go to the deserts and search for a lamp, it’s not that hard.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘The only difference with this is that he grants one wish, not three.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘Now I’m just wondering if the same three rules apply for the wish.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘You’re insufferable. The interesting thing about this is that we’re not even sure it’s true or not. Those who report him soon suffer periods of amnesia, the memory of their encounter wiped out entirely.’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap squinted, letting the words soak into him. Dream started to drum the surface of the desk with his fingertips, scanning his surroundings. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘Sounds like a scam to me. Are we sure there’s not some brain-altering curse in the water?’ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap sat up, pulling his knees close to his chest. “What if that’s who we need?” The talk show abandoned the topic as quickly as it came, resuming to a story about one of their encounters with a stingray.<br/>
<br/>
“I mean, sure. It adds up.” Dream fell silent, pinching his eyebrows in deep thought. “Alright.” Dream snapped his book shut, dropping his pencil onto the desk with an audible clatter. “I’ve got a plan.”<br/>
<br/>
✧</p><p> </p><p>Karl was frustrated. He was frustrated to the point of crying, and all Sapnap could do was stand by his side and watch. Karl recently picked up the responsibility of travelling to important events, no matter past or future, and righting the wrongs, to find answers, but everytime he went, it only caused a massive ripple effect with reality that Sapnap couldn’t quite understand. But, all he did understand was Karl’s tears against his shoulders, bawling into the fabric of his own shirt. Seeing him cry every week after his return wasn’t something Sapnap looked forward to because it would break him.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I’m forgetting things, Sapnap. I’m going to forget everything. I’m going to forget <em> you </em> . I’m going to lose everything and there’s nothing I can do about it.” He wailed, sinking into Sapnap’s weight. Sapnap moved to comfort him, patting his back as he tightened their embrace.<br/>
<br/>
“You won’t. I’ll always be here for you, Karl. You have me.” He cooed, pressing soft kisses against his neck. “You’ll <em> always </em> have me.”<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you.” Karl breathed, easing into his touch. “I’m so sorry for being like this all the time.” He sniffed, breaking their embrace momentarily to wipe at his cheek. Sapnap’s hands travelled up to cradle his face, thumbs rubbing circles against his cheeks.<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t apologize. I know how hard this is for you.” He leaned in, bumping their noses awkwardly that earned a soft smile emerging on Karl’s lips. “You’re here with me, and I’m not leaving. Even if your memory turns to nothing and you forget who I am,” His voice breaks, streams of vulnerability peeking through, “I’ll be here waiting for you.”<br/>
<br/>
Karl’s bottom lip quivered, his eyes welling up with tears. “Sapnap…” His hands tentatively travelled to cradle the sides of his face, Sapnap’s watchful eyes peering into his own. “I could never forget you. You’ve become so important to me, and I always… I don’t tell you this, but every time I go back in time, I see a past version of you. We always find each other, and it’s the only thing that keeps me sane the whole trip through. You’re the only thing that keeps me grounded, and I could never forget that.” He leaned in, their lips centimetres apart. Their breaths mingled as Karl continued to speak. “I could <em> never </em>forget you, so don’t ever think that I will.” Sapnap stills as Karl connects the gap, sinking into the feeling. </p><p> </p><p>Karl quickly breaks away from the contact, Sapnap dumbstruck. The words circled through his mind, firing him to surge forward and connect their lips once more in hopes to pour all his feelings, admiration and gratitude into the kiss. Karl hummed into the contact, reciprocating the motion and they stayed like that for a while. Lips moving against each other, slow and savoury, staying in the moment in hopes it would fade like a dying light. </p><p> </p><p>They end the night in a tight embrace cuddled up on their bed, their bodies intertwined. With their legs tangled and Karl’s face buried in his chest, Sapnap couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief into Karl’s mop of hair. A feeling of warmth settled into the two, the contentment of each other’s company willing them to sleep. Whatever insecurities Sapnap had about Karl’s memory, they’re eradicated immediately by Karl’s heartfelt speech. They’d always have this, this relationship and each other. He’d always be home for Karl, and Karl would always be home for him. They’d always have each other, and nothing would ever come between that.</p><p> </p><p>✧</p><p> </p><p>A shrill cry from a rooster was enough to snap Sapnap out of his trance, shooting up from his sleep. The memory replays in his mind, the words ‘<em> I could never forget you’ </em>dizzying him, taunting him, mocking him. To coax the thought out of his mind, he attempted recalling the evening prior, pinpointing the details of Dream’s makeshift plan. He gulped. Today was the day they’d visit the library. His stomach churned at the realization. What made matters worse was that they’d have to spend days upon weeks at the library depending on how easy the information may come. Memories of last night spark in his mind one by one, filling the gaps. Dream made a point to mention that yesterday was their only day off for the week, and in order to maintain a healthy balance between their occupation and their mission, Dream conjured up a schedule that’d update weekly based on their days off. Sapnap peeled himself off the carpet, stretching his limbs as he eased the crick in his neck. He walked on over to Dream’s journal, the schedule scribbled onto the page visibly splayed across the desk. </p><p> </p><p>As his eyes scanned the schedule, his face paled. The familiar sinking feeling pooled into his arteries, circulating his system with every beat of his heart. Sapnap had an evening shift regarding patrol duties on Perforo’s borders, but Dream always opened up his tent in the mornings.<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap went to pull at a chunk of his hair in frustration, baring his teeth. He wasn’t ready to confront Karl, especially not alone. Yet, it would make the most sense for him to go. He knows what book Karl was showing them in the vision, and he knows how the library works. If Dream were to venture into the library without any supervision, he’d make as much progress as he would if he were to never enter the library in the first place. He sighed, looking over to Dream, who was curled up into a ball hugging a pillow, a hint of bitterness seeping into his sides. Yet, that bitterness quickly dissolves away as Sapnap notices the distress in Dream’s slumbering face. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes were clenched shut and his lips were curved into a frown. This was odd. To any regular person, Dream would look like he’d been doing a terrible job at pretending to look asleep, but Sapnap knew better. Sapnap had spent too many years with him to realize that that was the face he made when he was facing a particularly difficult vision, or given information that was upsetting in any way possible. The dreadful feeling in his body did not pass, festering as Dream’s sleeping body was facing a similar peril, although unconscious.</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap balled his fists at his side, taking a sharp breath. You can do this, he coached himself, naively pumping himself up. A popular saying in Perforo was always to fake it until you make it, and it’s what Sapnap was to do. He puffed out his chest, fixing himself in the shard of glass on the desk and marched out onto the street. He greeted civilians with a faux confidence that emanated from his beaming smile, as his heavy footsteps stomped across the cobblestone streets all the way to Perforo’s border. He watched as the town soon blended into plains and fields of grass and oversized mushrooms, and he knew he was close. </p><p> </p><p>His faux confidence started to wear off once he caught sight of the wooden library that they’d constructed the spring prior. He attempted to gulp down his fear, but it threatened to rise up his esophagus at every turn. His shoes brushed through the thick thrush of grass, tickling his knees through his trousers. Karl would be in there whether he liked it or not, and he needed to suck it up and find a solution to the problem. Nothing good would come from wallowing in his own self-pity, is what he thinks. </p><p> </p><p>Soon enough, he finds himself facing the great open entrance of the library, lined with a mushroom brim and decorated with a dark oak that he remembers cutting up with Karl. He can remember the laughs they shared, the jokes they’d make as Bad would begrudgingly move the wooden planks to where they needed to go. The memory of the library hurts.</p><p> </p><p>He sucks in a quick breath, holding it in his lungs as he rushes a step inside. Once his foot made contact with the soft padded ground, he felt uneasy. The fear of seeing Karl hit him all at once, and his eyes flew shut to will them away. Quickly, he tries to ground himself, his eyes scanning through the several bookshelf categories before remembering all the history and mythology sections were located near the back. He barrelled towards the back, figuring the mythology section would be a great section for what the talk show deemed as a myth anyways. Once he got there, his fingers grazed over the book spines, skimming the titles until he found one that seemed promising. He couldn’t go searching for ‘<em> The Lost Constellation’ </em> because he knew for a fact that the book was located in Karl’s study, and—</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, how can I help you?” Sapnap stills, feeling the wind get knocked out of him. Reluctantly turning to his side, he chewed on his lip. There Karl stood, and Sapnap’s throat ran dry. He wore the coat that Sapnap had gotten him for Christmas, with mismatched coloured sleeves of turquoise and blue stitched alongside the purple fabric. Karl’s eyes were wide and curious, but Sapnap knew there was something missing. There was a piece of Karl missing, and it was already apparent because Karl didn’t even greet him properly, and that fact hurt.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello. Do you recognize me?” He rushes out in one breath, peering into Karl’s eyes, trying to fish out any semblance of a silver lining that would ease the ache in his heart. Unfortunately, there was none. </p><p> </p><p>“Um…” Karl went to bashfully scratch the back of his head, and Sapnap frowned. “I can’t… I can’t say that I do? I’m sorry. Do you come here often?”<br/>
<br/>
Sapnap thinned his lips, “You could say that.” He didn’t care how monotonous he sounded. “My name’s Sapnap. Might ring a bell.”<br/>
<br/>
Karl made no action to move or give him any kind of hope. Sapnap’s heart recoiled, shrivelling up the more he pressed for more information. “Um… I’m honestly so confused right now. Is that your Knight given name or something?” Karl lied. ‘I could never forget you’ looped in his mind, shooting through his ribs, piercing holes in his lungs that threatened to leak his emotions. No matter how many times Sapnap stayed by his side, it wasn’t enough for him to remember him. It wasn’t enough.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, it is.” Sapnap admitted bitterly. <em> He </em>wasn’t enough. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh. Well, could I still interest you in something then? I’m pretty well versed in what this library has to offer.” The bitterness clouds his judgement, tainting his mindset. He finds it ridiculous that he gets forgotten by Karl, yet he can remember pointless shit about the library’s setup so easily. Was he so insignificant as a birthday for Karl to forget him so easily? Why did it have to be him out of all things?<br/>
<br/>
“Um, yeah, actually.” Sapnap muttered out, failing to restrain the bite in his bark. Karl seemed clueless to it all which made the pain in his heart throb much worse. “Do you have ‘ <em> The Lost Constellation’? </em> I’m interested in the… mythology of it all.”<br/>
<br/>
“Of course!” Karl clapped his hands together, gesturing for him to follow him to the back room. Sapnap unwillingly complied, hanging his head from his shoulders as he walked. His gaze fell to the floor, watching his feet as he let the anger in himself fester. The rational part of Sapnap spoke up, scraping against his skull. He was being too harsh on an unsuspecting Karl. It wasn’t his fault that Karl forgot about him; it was just bound to happen with the amount of times he jumped through several timelines, or at least that’s what he says in an attempt to convince himself. The silence between them is intertwined with a profound awkward tension with Karl obvious and Sapnap bitter. </p><p> </p><p>He opened up a hatch, and crouched down to climb down a ladder. “The backroom isn’t entirely a backroom. Not entirely sure why that is.” A nervous chuckle erupted from him, but it didn’t lighten his spirits. Sapnap knew why they built an underground compartment for Karl’s chambers. It was because they wanted a secret basement that nobody could enter, and also because there was no space for the outside. Sapnap knows that Karl wanted his chambers to be out of the way so it wouldn’t interfere with the overall layout of the library, comparing an overground room to an ugly tumour on the side of the building. Out of the two of them, he’s the one that remembers it all, and it hurts.</p><p> </p><p>To numb the pain in his chest, he deadpans. “Crazy.” His voice was dead and lifeless, void of emotion. He followed suit, easing down the rungs of the ladder into Karl’s chamber. He immediately realizes how bad of an idea this is once he catches sight of the ruffled bed. The bed that they used to share, and used to spend many nights tangled in each other's embrace. Now he can’t even have that because this new Karl wouldn’t feel comfortable with that kind of intimacy. This Karl didn’t remember him and considered Sapnap a stranger. Whatever Sapnap used to have with Karl before he came back was eradicated entirely, and it hurt.</p><p> </p><p>Karl mindlessly chatted about his chambers, facts that Sapnap was already fairly knowledgeable about beforehand. While being toured around the compact compartment, Sapnap’s eyes glance over to the stack of diaries that lay near the corner shelves and his heart stills. If the ache in his chest didn’t hurt enough, he’s sure the sight of the books was enough to increase the pain by tenfold. </p><p> </p><p>Those books were his diaries, and they were the entire reason Sapnap was aware of Karl’s whole situation, or at least how bad they got. Karl’s words were completely drowned out as the memory takes hold of Sapnap’s being, engulfing himself in it as if he were reliving the whole situation.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>✧</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap forgot something in their chambers, and in retrospect, he would’ve done better to just retrieve his item and leave. It had been so long that he can’t quite put his finger on what he forgot, considering that his discovery overshadowed everything from that day. As he ventured down into the chambers, he had fished through the shelves in search of that specific item, and maybe it was his sharp eye that was built into him after years of combat training, or maybe it was just the luck of the light hitting his eyes at the wrong moment. Either way, he had bent down and by the corner of his eye, noticed an inconspicuous flap from underneath the wood. Curiously, he went to investigate and pulled open the flap. At first, it didn’t budge, Sapnap recognizing the strength that could’ve only stemmed from magic usage. That should’ve been his first sign to leave it alone, but he could never just give up quite that easily. </p><p> </p><p>Through brute force, he peeled the flap open only to have a pile of pocket sized leather books tumble out and onto the floor with a distinct chain of thuds. Cautiously, he reached for the one at the top of the pile and flipped to the first page. He soon recognized Karl’s neat handwriting that looked to be somewhat crazed around the edges, and his interest peaked. After a few sentences, he soon realized that these were a collection of journal entries from Karl and he immediately felt sour guilt cling to the back of his throat. He should’ve stopped and respected Karl’s privacy, but he could never just give up that easily no matter how far he got. </p><p> </p><p>He flipped through the first few pages, but what he found caused his heart to drop down as well as his hopes. His eyes widened in shock, in disbelief at what Karl had revealed in the safety of his own thoughts. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Each time I travel I remember less and less. I really need to start writing these as soon as I return to the present day… I’m worried one day I’ll travel and not remember who I am anymore. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap pales. This particular journal entry went into detail about Karl’s internal struggle and his adventures, writing notes to himself about his journey.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I need to keep this quiet. I can’t tell anyone how I know these stories. Not even Sapnap. Once he finds out I’m losing a part of my memory… I’m not sure what he’ll do. He’ll be mad at me, for one. He’ll hate me. But I have to keep going and right these wrongs. This is bigger than myself now. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The first journal entry left Sapnap agape and in utter denial. Karl was losing his memory. It was a fact he couldn’t quite wrap his head around.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Today I think I saw Sapnap’s past life. He looked exactly like him, and smiled like him too. It was refreshing to see. He asked if we knew each other and it was such a Sapnap thing to say and god, I miss him. He died to protect me. That hurt to see. I hope Sapnap is never in a situation where he has to protect me, or save me. I want to be the hero for the both of us. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe he should just leave it alone and ask Karl with the knowledge he had now. He didn’t need to see anymore, but yet he continued.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> My memory is starting to disappear. I’ve gone and avoided an explosion that would’ve potentially wiped out a country, but I’m not sure what happened. I think a past version of me travelled to that same timeline and failed? Something messed up and now I can’t remember anything.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The next journal entry was just a sentence.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Today I forgot Sapnap’s birthday. God I hope he doesn’t hate me for this. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He kept flipping through the pages, letting the words soak into his own memory, feeling what Karl was feeling. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I keep seeing Sapnap every time I travel. I’m starting to think we’re just destined to be, as cheesy as that sounds. It’s pathetic but he’s the only consistent thing throughout my travels. I don’t want to be optimistic but he may be the only thing I remember by the end of this, and that’s completely okay. As long as I have Sapnap, I don’t care for much else. If I forget everything, I know Sapnap would fill me in on all that I’ve missed.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>At the time, reading those words hurt. Seeing how optimistic and confident Karl had been about remembering hurt even more. Looking back at it now, with Karl currently completely overrun by his memory loss, he understands it wasn’t his fault; it couldn’t possibly be his fault, but he can’t help but feel like he was at fault for letting himself, and most importantly, letting Karl down. The memory continues to replay vividly in his mind, the carbon words ingrained into his brain as if they were etched onto rough paper.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I can’t recognize faces anymore. The only face I recognize is Sapnap’s and it’s because that’s the only face I continuously see. He’s my anchor, and I’m so close to fixing everything. Just a few more missions, and I’ll be free. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He continues to skim through the journals after that, reading through Karl’s various images through the prehistoric era. The realization of Karl’s failing memory hung over his head, and he wanted to curl into a ball and cry. Karl is losing his memory and there’s nothing he can do about it. Karl is sinking and is using Sapnap to keep him afloat. <em> Everything hurts </em> .<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>✧</p><p> </p><p>As he snaps out of the memory, Sapnap starts to think his chest has cracked open and he’s bleeding out. Karl considered Sapnap to be such an integral part of his life that he’d been so confident nothing would get in between that, and everything just hurts. He felt tears rim around his eyes, glassing his vision and he quickly rubs at his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Karl turned around, concern gracing his face. “Are you okay?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, just…” Sapnap couldn’t finish his sentence. His throat closed up in rebellion, instead offering to blurt out, “...Do you really not remember me?” His voice cracked in the middle, not caring how weird or vulnerable he’s being right now. He needed to make the pain quick and easy. He couldn’t just keep doing this to himself.</p><p> </p><p>“...I’m…” Karl frowned, guilt swirling behind his eyelids and Sapnap knew. “...Sorry. I don’t remember you, Sapnap.”<br/>
<br/>
The words hit harder than they should. Sapnap already knew from their previous interactions, but hearing it outright was enough to break the dam boarding up Sapnap’s tears. ‘ <em> I could never forget you </em> ’ and ‘ <em> I don’t remember you, Sapnap </em>’ coexisted in his mind, battling it out through brash and ultimate hurt. </p><p> </p><p>“Could you maybe… help me out? I can’t say much but I can’t really recall much. Might be amnesia or something…” Karl offered, his eyes wide and pooled with guilt behind his irises. He reached out to touch Sapnap, but Sapnap only stepped backwards. He needed to collect himself, and deal with this with a clear mind. <em> God, he couldn’t do this </em> .<br/>
<br/>
“Well.” The words crept out of him through shaky breaths as he tried to steady himself, planting his feet firmly into the mushroom padded ground. “I’m Sapnap, and…” What would he say? That he was in love with him? That he failed him? That he was too insignificant? That he was too angry at the whole situation? “...I know you’re a time traveller.”<br/>
<br/>
Karl didn’t move, almost taken aback by Sapnap’s claim. It only served to make Sapnap squeeze his eyes shut as he continued.</p><p> </p><p>“I know you’re a time traveler because we used to…” He quickly caught himself speaking in past tense. What is he doing? Karl isn’t gone yet, he assured himself. Karl isn’t gone. “We’re fiancés, and you…” He almost chokes on his own spit as he mutters the next part of his sentence “...forgot about me.”<br/>
<br/>
Karl’s face fell, his lips curling into a frown. Sapnap watched as his features meshed into a mix of guilt and looking forlorn, and the tears wouldn’t stop flowing out of him. “Oh.” He looked unconvinced, and it hurt. “...What else did I forget?” <em> It hurt so much. </em></p><p> </p><p>The pain fuelled something in him, removing the clog in his throat as the memories spilled out of him in attempts to get him to remember. He forgot so many things, but Sapnap needed to just let it all out. “You forgot that I proposed to you at the pub after we sang together and you told me you wanted to spend forever with me. You forgot that we built this library together and I know the layout more than you probably do.” He needed to stop being so bitter. It wasn’t fair to Karl, and he was being selfish. Yet, when you’re grieving over a loss this big, sometimes there’s no option for you to be other than selfish. “You forgot that we would share that same bed every night because you were too afraid of losing everything. You forgot my birthday-” Red fogged his vision, his anger blinding him “-you forgot about yours, you forgot about our picnics that we used to go to, you forgot about every single thing that we used to do all in the name of the greater good, and-” His chest was threatening to burst open and bleed onto the ground. Fuck, it hurt. “-you forgot about <em> me </em> .” He stated simply, letting the words ring out into the empty chambers. “You simply forgot about me.”<br/>
<br/>
Karl looked a little overwhelmed to say the least, his face soft and guilt ridden. “I’m sorry that I did that to you… I-” Remorse started to flood Sapnap’s own features, finally realizing the severity of his actions. He wanted to just run away from everything. He couldn’t believe he felt so entitled to blame Karl for something he couldn’t control. He couldn’t believe he indulged himself in a tantrum that would’ve only served to confuse Karl even further. Everything just fucking hurts. “I’m so sorry. I knew there was something missing, but-”</p><p> </p><p>“Just give me the book, Karl.” Sapnap said bluntly, returning back to the lifeless tone he used earlier.<br/>
<br/>
Karl gulped, curling into himself as he walked on over to the bedside table. He dragged his feet across the floor, scraping his soles across the soft padding. Pulling out a drawer, he grabbed the thick text that Sapnap saw in Dream’s vision and went to wipe at his own tears. As Karl sheepishly passed it over to Sapnap, there was a blatant awkward tension between the two and Sapnap found no one else to blame but himself.<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you.” He muttered, closing his eyes. He spun around instantly, hastily clambering up out of the chambers before Karl could formulate a response. Once he exited the hatch, his steps were quick as he hurried to an isolated part of the library near the top. Skipping past the stairs, the tears didn’t cease to flow out of his tear ducts, and he hated it so much.<br/>
<br/>
He was frantic, whipping his head back and forth until he reached a dark and empty corner and sank down onto the floor, hugging <em> The Lost Constellation </em> close to his chest. God, this couldn’t have gone any worse. He hated himself. He hated Karl. He hated that Karl didn’t remember him. He hated that there was nothing he could do about it either. He hated it <em> all </em>. He rested his head against the book, letting the tears drip off and slide down the leatherback covers. The warrior in him pitied himself for being so down in the dumps, and was desperately trying to sober him up from his own feelings. </p><p> </p><p>Holding his head up from the book, he reluctantly turned to the first page of the book. He took a quick breath trying to convince himself to push on forward, but once he flicked to the first page, what he caught sight of was enough to stomp it out of existence entirely. On the first page was pasted a picture of Sapnap and Karl, their arms wrapped around each other's waists with beaming smiles. He notices the library in the back, albeit out of focus, with the sun shooting streams of light across Karl’s cheek. They had taken the picture as a keepsake once their library was done being built, and Sapnap remembers the two of them begging Dream to retake the pictures over and over again until they found one that was just right. Sapnap remembered so many things about Karl, and he was virtually, and quite literally alone. </p><p> </p><p>What broke him wasn’t the picture, but instead the little note that Karl had written in bold lettering.<b> <em> I’m sorry,</em> </b> it read, and Sapnap immediately choked up. <b> <em>If you’re reading this, I’ve already forgotten about you. I’m so sorry, Sapnap, but it’s not your fault. You are still so important to me, and I know you can find a way to bring me back. You’re still everything to me, and I hope one day I will be able to come back to you. I’m so sorry, Sapnap. I love you. More than you know.</em> </b></p><p> </p><p>This was unfair. Everything was unfair. Sapnap’s vision started to cloud, fogging over. Tears rimmed his eyes, glassing his gaze at the note. Lightly grazing over the note with his fingers, Sapnap broke. The cracks of his soul finally shattered, the grief of losing Karl engulfing him. His throat closes up entirely, and he finds it hard to breathe. He can’t fucking breathe and everything just hurts. Karl is gone and he won’t return anytime soon. Karl is gone and Sapnap hates it so much. Karl is gone and it makes him want to die. Everything hurts and nothing will ever be the same ever again and he won’t ever be able to hold him anytime soon and he won’t have anyone to hug when the night gets tough and he won’t be able to have fun picnics in the sun and everything just hurts. His limbs feel numb as he cradles the book close to his chest, wailing out into the open space. He doesn’t care if Karl could hear him from downstairs. He let his own grief surround him, pulling him under to no return. His eyes felt sore and his chest was throbbing. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t <em> think </em> . So, he cries and cries. After a few hours, Sapnap hears a new set of footsteps enter the library from downstairs.<br/>
<br/>
“God, those requests today were a hassle.” Dream’s voice echoed as he ascended up the stairs. “It seems like the only thing people want me for is for my visions, and it’s like, yeah. But, you should like me for me, you know?” Sapnap doesn’t make a sound, just watching Dream reach the top flight and look around. “Sapnap? Where are you? Karl looked like he’d been crying, but he said you’d be up here so where-” His eyes widened momentarily as he caught sight of the state of anguish that Sapnap was in, curled up against the corner. He immediately flew to his side, sinking down to his knees as he laid a tentative hand on Sapnap’s shoulder. “Sapnap. What happened?”</p><p><br/>
Sapnap let go of the book, his hands reaching to pull at the front of Dream’s tunic. He was drained. He was angry. He was distraught, but Dream didn’t know any of that. So, his entire body trembled as he spoke. </p><p> </p><p>“Dream, I’m begging you.” Sapnap seethed, tears streaming down his face. His grip on Dream’s tunic tightened, his knuckles burning. “Bring Karl back. <em> Bring him back. </em> ” His voice cracked, and so did his spirit. Watching Karl be willfully ignorant to what they once were hurt more than it should, and he <em> needed </em> him back.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Dream stilled, his hand hovering over Sapnap’s back with sheer hesitance. His stance was awkward but thoughtful as he moved to comfort him. “I will. We will.” The words of reassurance are enough to comfort him, so Sapnap weeps and lets the hurt pass. He doesn’t know how long he stays curled up in the corner of the library for, maintaining a tight clutch on Dream, but once his tears run out and he’s left with a cold numbness in the hollow of his chest where his heart used to be, he notices rays of the setting sun peaking through the library windows.</p><p><br/>
Dream doesn’t leave his side, instead stuck in a perpetual motion of stroking his back. As time went on, Sapnap’s tear stained cheeks dry up, his soul starting to heal. Sapnap muttered a thanks, shuffling away to create some distance between them. Dream nodded, and they made quick work with the books they’d gathered over time. They’d powered through several books before Dream pouted, “It seems I’m the only one that didn’t know about Karl’s time travelling,” in an attempt to make idle conversation.<br/>
<br/>
“It seems so.” Sapnap nodded, his mind refusing to talk about Karl in fear he’d break down at any second. His heart was frozen over, but he continued on.<br/>
<br/>
“Any particular reason I wasn’t allowed in on the joke?” Dream pushed.<br/>
<br/>
“Bad advised to keep you two away from each other. I was the middle man, so obviously, I was the only one in on it. Bad had to tell the others not to get each other involved, but obviously it seems Karl found out before you and now he…”<br/>
<br/>
Dream sighed, lazily flipping the page. “Yup. At least it’s going to save his ass now, right?”<br/>
<br/>
A rekindling of hope floated through his soul, sparking a fire. “Hopefully.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>They make quick work flipping through pages and books before Sapnap is dismissed to his evening patrol. His shift goes by swimmingly, without any outside threats whatsoever, so he returns to Dream’s tent once more only to find Dream nowhere to be seen. Sapnap sighs, realizing he was probably kept up in the library, and a part of him softens. He softens at the fact that Dream is trying so hard for him and Karl, and no words can express his appreciation. Before he sat down onto the carpet, he lit up Dream’s bedside lantern and placed it onto the desk. As he laid down onto the carpet, he indulged himself with thoughts of Karl. He remembers their good times, and their bad times, but mostly the happy times. He realizes that if he needed something to fight for, it was for the fun memories that he’d made with Karl, and wanted to keep making. If he needed one solid reason to bring Karl’s memories back, it was so that he could bring back the light in Karl’s eyes when he saw him. He sighs, allowing himself to drift into deep slumber to all the things he loved about Karl. The words ‘<em> I could never forget you’ </em> carve a certain kind of hurt into his heart, but he processes it. He realizes that a part of Karl is lost somewhere, and the fire in his genes burn into his soul, flames sparking motivation to find him. With a newfound promise of Karl’s return, the last thing Sapnap remembers from that night is falling asleep to dying candlelight and a raging fire in his soul. </p><p> </p><p>♘ <em> Meanwhile, at the library... </em></p><p><br/>
Dream has a mission. He’s going to find a way to contact the person, or thing, that’s been showing up in people’s dreams. Has he managed to fall asleep at the library? Yes, but that isn’t the point. The point is he’s going to find a way to save Karl, for Sapnap’s sake and for Karl’s as well. Everything fell onto his shoulders, and he was determined. Nothing could get in his way, and he was going to force that absolute pest to give him the solution whether he liked it or not-<br/>
<br/>
“I can hear you, you know?”<br/>
<br/>
Dream stilled, his blood running cold. There’s no way that actually happened. He blinked a few times, realizing the voice stemmed from behind him. He gulped. </p><p> </p><p>“There’s no need for you to be so shy. I’m right here.”<br/>
<br/>
The voice is not what he expected, and the worst part was, he’s completely sure that the voice he heard before Karl’s warning resembled closely to this one. The accent was obvious, almost refined like he originated from the North. Okay, well. Dream went to scratch at his neck, completely dumbfounded. He wasn’t expecting for his frustration at the whole situation to be the fire that sparked the encounter, but he’s on a mission, and he’ll take anything. He took a deep breath, balling his fists at his side. His mind was spinning, and he’s sure he’s lost circulation in one of his arms by this point. Instantaneously, he willed himself to calm down and steady his breathing.<br/>
<br/>
“Come on, I haven’t got all night.”<br/>
<br/>
<em> I see, the thing’s got jokes, </em> Dream hums.<br/>
<br/>
“That I do.”<br/>
<br/>
“Stop reading my thoughts. I don’t know how you’re doing that.” Dream sputtered, immediately biting the inside of his cheek once the words spilled out of him. </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry.” The voice <em> giggles </em>. Actually giggles. “Can’t help myself when they just… shout at me.” Dream reels. </p><p> </p><p>He figures he could spin around at the slowest pace he could manage, as he was still unsure of what stood behind him. If they were speaking, that must’ve meant they had a similar build to him, right? It would mean that they’re a person, right? The dread of it all was eating him alive, chewing away at his insides as he felt his body fall apart from the inside out. He bared his teeth, tensing himself as the anticipation became too much. So, he decided to rip it off, and end his suffering as quickly and easily as possible. His spin was hasty and clumsy, his body threatening to tip over once his spin was cut short. His eyes go wide at the sight of the… person before him, and his throat goes dry.<br/>
<br/>
“Hello. You said you were looking for me?”<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>whew anyways i'm sorry again. i tried to successfully write sapnap going through the five stages of grief, and im afraid i ended up just becoming all over the place. i hope that somewhat comedic scene at the scene was enough to make up for the slight karlnap angst &lt;3<br/>if anyone's interested, here is my twitter and my tumblr if you're looking for live updates on this fic! i mostly update on tumblr doe so.... it's there if you want it! :] </p><p>twitter: poorgogy<br/>tumblr: frogygogy</p><p>pls leave a comment about your thoughts so far i love talking to people &lt;3<br/>thank you and goodnight see you in 15 days ish!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chameleon Curse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>dream talks to the dude in his dreams, sapnap goes MIA for a bit, and dream learns more about who this guy is</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ELLO!! </p><p>may i start off by saying i am VERY SORRY for the late update :O i know i said that i would update in 2 weeks, but i ended up taking literally 2 months? funny how that works. </p><p>BUT TO MAKE UP FOR IT i got you guys a 27k wordcount chapter of dnf &lt;3  but it's slowburn so idk if that actually counts ? enjoy and tell me what you think :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>After Dream had comforted Sapnap through his grief, they’d wallowed in their own silence, Dream letting Sapnap process things on his own time. Dream itched, noticing the book Sapnap cradled against his chest. He attempted to respectfully ask for it, tilting his head. Sapnap obliged, nodding his head, and so Dream carefully grabbed the tear-stained novel out of his shaky grasp, and offered him a pat on the back; an unspoken agreement established between them deeming it was high time to get to work. The binding was worn and damp, definitely due to Sapnap’s prior actions, but his fingers grazed the backings all the same as he leafed through the pages. His face fell slightly at the photograph on the front page, feeling a sense of forlorn emptiness hidden underneath his ribs. Out of respect for his friends, once he’d noticed the bolded note clearly written for Sapnap’s eyes only, Dream rushed to the next page before his eyes could catch a glimpse at the context. It was the least he could do. </p><p> </p><p>The book started out as a regular encyclopedia encircling the concept of astrology and what different constellations referred to, and how placements of certain planets could be foreboding yet fruitful depending on the context. His first night, he’d been too engrossed in brushing up on his astrology that he couldn’t quite get to the mythology subsection near the end. Even hours after Sapnap bid him farewell to attend to his guardly duties, he remained slumped over that oak desk with sagging shoulders, letting the moon rise high into the evening sky. Exhaustion tugged at his lingering consciousness, bidding for him to have mercy on his racing mind and fall into a deep slumber. He sighed, noticing the hazy gaze that settled within his vision as his eyelids lazily drifted closed. He welcomed the feeling of being swallowed whole by the void, sinking into the drifting sensation into the place he’d gone to again and again. </p><p> </p><p>He clears his mind. First thing’s first, Dream had a duty to uphold: the vision commissions from the afternoon. He let out a sigh of resignation as he watched the various scenes play out before him like a movie reel. After his days off, an impending regret bit at his gut, reminding him of his repetitive lifestyle to the point that it was monotonous. All he did was wake up, take requests, hang out with Sapnap most days, or waste the entire afternoon only to fall back asleep and fulfill those requests and wake up and repeat the cycle. The cycle pauses on his days off, but rarely does it ever stop. With a gift like his, Perforo deems it necessary that they milk off everything his gift has to offer. Seers like him come once in a lifetime according to Bad, but Dream now sees it as Bad’s thoughtful attempt at making him feel special. He sighed, searing each vision to the back of his memory, memorizing everything down to its miniscule details like clockwork. The procedure is ingrained into his instinct at this point, so he breezes through each request until he’s met with utter blackness. The air around him is still, and he realizes that he’d barrelled through his list of requests rather quicker than anticipated. Staying in the serenity, his mind started to wander. A lightbulb flicked in his mind, as he thought back to the book, to the myth.</p><p> </p><p>Since he hadn’t much to do, he decided to just say ‘screw it’, and try to contact that damn thing that he heard about on the radio. He doesn’t know <em> why </em> he decided to do such a thing so late into his vision, but he shrugged it off, deciding to try it out anyways. It did him no harm if it was unsuccessful, so really it wouldn’t affect him in the slightest. So, he starts to mutter half-assed requests under his breath, willing for whatever’s supposed to visit people’s dreams to visit <em> him </em>, and he waits.</p><p> </p><p>And waits.</p><p> </p><p>And waits...</p><p> </p><p>And... waits. </p><p> </p><p>Nothing appears. White noise clouds his ears, accompanying the silence that now surrounds him. Frustration starts to settle into his bones as his patience diminishes down to its lowest point. Nothing shows up, and Dream huffs to himself. He didn’t know why he thought this would work. A naive part of himself grew optimistic after contacting Karl, but clearly Karl and this phenomena were not under the same category, summoning-wise. He sighs. This entire thing was pointless, but there was no way for him to wake up early and cut the vision short, so all he <em> could </em> do was sit and wait for morning to shine upon his waking body. He sighed again, crossing his arms as he looked around. Rows of bookshelves peeked through the several rips in the void around him, a semblance of his physical body’s surroundings, and Dream nervously bit the inside of his cheek. <em> This was so pointless </em>, he rolled his eyes, briefly clenching his eyes shut as he continued to mutter under his breath. </p><p> </p><p>No matter what, Dream had a mission. <em> Screw it. </em>He’s going to find a way to contact this person, or thing, that’s been showing up in people’s dreams because it’s not like he has anything important left to do with his powers anyways. So, he starts off by metaphorically tearing away the void to reveal the bookshelves underneath. He saw how distraught Sapnap had been, miserably curled up against a corner of the library with grief-stricken eyes, and he knew how important this rescue mission for Karl’s memories were to him. He needed to do this for Sapnap’s sake, if not Karl’s. He envisions the book, recalling the information that slept in between its pages. He curses himself briefly for being caught up in useless astrology facts and not everything else. Everything fell onto his shoulders, relying on his visions like everyone else in Perforo, so he lets the determination fester inside his heart. Speckles of stars started to decorate the ceiling overhead, illuminating the rest of the makeshift library in his mind. Hope started to flourish in his heart, glad that progress was being made. He didn’t care if he didn’t reach the mythology section of the book, because he was confident he’d still summon them all the same. Nothing had to get in his way, and he was going to force that absolute pest to give him the solution whether he liked it or not-</p><p> </p><p>“I can hear you, you know?” <br/><br/>Dream stilled, his eyes shooting open in the vision with his blood running cold. <em> There’s no way that actually happened. </em> He blinked a few times, soon coming to the realization that the voice stemmed from behind him. He gulped. </p><p> </p><p>“There’s no need for you to be so shy. I’m right here.”<br/><br/>The voice is not what he expected, and the worst part was, he’s completely sure that the voice he heard the night before Karl’s warning was virtually the same as this one. The accent was obvious, almost refined like they originated from the North. <em> Okay, well. </em> Dream went to scratch at his neck, completely dumbfounded. He wasn’t expecting for his frustration at the whole situation to be the fire that sparked the encounter, but alas, he deemed himself on a mission, and he’ll take <em> anything </em> . He took a deep breath, balling his fists at his side. His mind was spinning, and he’s sure he’s lost circulation in one of his arms by this point. Instantaneously, he willed himself to calm down and steady his breathing. <br/><br/>“Come on, I haven’t got all night.” A hint of sarcasm was laced in between their syllables, almost catching Dream off guard. <br/><br/><em> I see, the thing’s got jokes, </em> Dream hums. <br/><br/>The voice doesn’t skip a beat. “That I do.” <br/><br/>“Stop reading my thoughts. I don’t know how you’re doing that.” Dream sputtered, immediately biting the inside of his cheek once the words spilled out of him. </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry.” The voice <em> giggles </em>. Actually giggles. “Can’t help myself when they just… shout at me.” Dream reels. </p><p> </p><p>He spins around at the slowest pace he could manage, as he was still unsure of what stood behind him. If they were speaking, that must’ve meant they had a similar build to him, right? It would mean that they’re a person, right? The dread of it all was eating him alive, chewing away at his insides as he felt his body fall apart from the inside out. He bared his teeth, tensing himself as the anticipation became too much. So, he decided to rip the bandage off, and end his suffering as quickly and easily as possible. His spin was hasty and clumsy, his body threatening to tip over once he regained balance. His eyes go wide at the sight of the… person before him, and his throat goes dry. <br/><br/>“Hello. You said you were looking for me?” </p><p> </p><p>The person… no, <em> man </em> that stood before him wasn’t anything that Dream expected. In reality, he wasn’t sure what he expected <em> The Lost Constellation </em> to look like, but it wasn’t a man with brown hair and snarky eyes gazing at him with a cheeky smirk. Dream blinked, although he wasn’t quite sure how he did if he was unconscious, as his eyes scanned the constellation’s figure, who was significantly shorter than Dream by a few inches. He noticed his pale white buttoned blouse and wrinkled black trousers as he stood barefoot. He noticed the rows and rows of bookshelves that surrounded his figure. This was... <em> odd </em>. The more visions Dream got outside of his tent, the more it became apparent that his Seer vision adapted to his current surroundings, using his own reality as their own personal backdrop. </p><p> </p><p>The man stepped closer, hiding his hands behind his back as he tilted his head upwards to face Dream. “You’re not going to say anything?” His eyes were wide and judging. “Come on. You literally just read about me.”<br/><br/>Dream stepped away, administering some distance between him and whatever the constellation was. “How do you know about that?” Truth be told, he felt compelled to admit he hadn’t reached that part of the book yet, but his own common sense bit down onto his tongue before the words managed to slip out.</p><p><br/>“That’s for you to find out.” The boy, person, man, constellation, whatever they are, kept the smirk upon their face, squinting their eyes with a hint of deviance behind their eyelids. Dream looked down to inspect the constellation’s face further, and his lips parted. The man sported some type of goggles atop his head, nestled into the brown strands of his hair. <em> Odd </em> , he hummed. They were white rimmed with black lenses, the strap running past his ears to the back of his neck. Then his eyes travelled downwards, focusing on the constellation’s face. His eyes were brown, almost shimmering as it reflected the makeshift galaxy that Dream had conjured up overhead. Freckles sprinkled one side of his face, and Dream’s eyes slightly widened as he noticed that they were <em> glowing </em> . They shone a bright white against his already pale skin, closely resembling stardust atop his cheek. <br/><br/>“I… what?” Dream pinched his eyebrows together. He immediately shook his head, snapping himself out of it. <em> Don’t admire his face. Focus on the mission. </em> “What are you? An elf? A human?” He snuck a glance to the constellation’s ears, and noticed they weren’t pointed like his. <em> Interesting </em> . <br/><br/>The constellation thinned his lips, his smirk softening. “I don’t know. What do you think?” <br/><br/>Dream ran a hand through his hair, scoffing. “You’re… frustrating.” From a brief surface level assessment, it was safe to assume this was a human male that stood before Dream. He hadn’t any ears of an Elf, nor did he radiate any sort of overwhelming power that a god would. Rolling his eyes, he peered into the man’s eyes. “How are you even here?”</p><p> </p><p>“You ask a lot of questions. Are you always this flaky?” The man rebutted, completely derailing the topic at hand.<em> Okay, what is up with this guy’s deal? </em> Dream bared his teeth, but the man continued onwards. “I asked if you were looking for me, and you asked like fifty questions in return. Seems kinda unfair to me.” <br/><br/>Dream blinked, completely taken aback by the <em> attitude </em> exhibited by the supposed constellation before him. He opened his mouth to come up with a response, but the words immediately fell short upon his tongue as he failed to come up with an argument. Reluctantly, he sighed and dipped his head, sporting a grimace. “Yes, I was. Tell me who you are.” <br/><br/>The man brought his hand up to his face, tapping onto his chin as he pretended to be in deep thought. He hummed, before thinning his lips. “No, I don’t think I will.” He went to cross his arms as he winked, purring. “That’s for you to find out.” <br/><br/>“What-” Dream gawked, making a move to step forward before he felt the familiar pull of his consciousness being dragged back to reality “ <em> -Shit </em>.” He swore underneath his breath, frowning towards the constellation. “Don’t move. Meet me again, same place. This isn’t over.” He frantically rushed out, holding out his hand for them to solidify it on a handshake.</p><p> </p><p>Sadly, the man didn’t reflect the same sentiment. Instead, he pouted, one hand straying to waggle his fingers in a wave goodbye, “We’ll see.”</p><p> </p><p>♘ </p><p> </p><p>That morning, Dream woke up dazed with a shot of frustration coursing through his bloodstream. His eyes peeled open to be met with the library setting around him. Being hunched over a desk is never an ideal sleeping position, he finds out quickly as he feels a throbbing ache travelling his spine. During his slumber, his mask had been pushed to the side, revealing a portion of his face. Quickly, he adjusts it back to its proper position as he feels the warmth radiate towards his cheeks. He grumbled, closing his eyes once again as he sat up, waiting for the rest of his body to wake up. He peeked an eye open to glance at the page under him, looking at the Perforian language inscribed onto the paper, groaning to himself. The memories of the different visions he’d encountered flooded his mind, reminding him of his duties. <em> Shit </em>. A sense of panic tickles the bottom of his back, sending shivers through his body even through the morning warmth. </p><p> </p><p>He shuts the book with an audible thud, sighing in resignation. He’d wondered how Sapnap was holding up back at the tent— that is, assuming he chose to crash Dream’s tent last night. Last night, to say the least, wasn’t anything Dream was familiar with. Him and Sapnap were friends since childhood. They grew a closeness that could mistake them for brothers, yet never had they encountered a situation where one of them was this… <em> broken </em> . Never had they encountered a situation of grief-stricken sadness that it tore Sapnap apart for an entire afternoon, so he was… unprepared to say the least. Guilt pecked at his side, sparks of worry blooming across his skin the more he dwelled upon the idea. He shook his head, scrunching his nose, <em> Sapnap’s waiting at the tent. You’ve got orders to fill, </em>he reminded himself as he ran his fingers through his hair. A flash of purple flies past the corner of his eye, freezing him solid. </p><p> </p><p>“Karl.” Dream called out, keeping his voice calm.</p><p> </p><p>A brief shuffling echoed through the library as Karl tentatively poked his head from behind the bookshelf, a concerned look decorated onto his face. “...Hello.”<br/><br/>Dream glares at him expectantly, urging him to continue. When Karl remained silent, Dream crossed his arms as he stood up from his chair. “Good travels?” He cleared his throat, attempting to create mindless small talk.</p><p> </p><p>“You could say that, I guess.” Karl gave a wry smile, like he wasn’t sure of his words.</p><p> </p><p>Dream’s face turned neutral, the grip on his elbows tightening. “Alright. What do you want to tell me?”</p><p> </p><p>Karl immediately relaxed, slumping his shoulders as he sighed in relief. “Thank God. I had a feeling you’d catch on.” If Karl attempted a lighthearted joke, Dream didn’t laugh. Karl’s smile faltered as he scratched the back of his head. “Um, you’re Dream, right? That’s… uh… and the… you’re with Sapnap?” Dream nods. Karl digs into the pockets of his purple coat, fishing his fingers around until he pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. Embarrassed, he flattens it upon his thigh in an attempt to smoothen it out before sheepishly handing it over to him.</p><p> </p><p>Dream tilted his head, cradling the paper between his thumb and forefinger as he read through clear scripted handwriting. <em> For Dream </em>, was inscribed in bold black letters near the top, and his curiosity peaked. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t remember much, but I do remember that I have to give this to you.” Karl explains, fiddling with the hem of his sleeves. Dream glanced up briefly to nod before peering back down onto the paper. In that brief moment, Dream noticed Karl’s jittery behaviour. “Um, tell… Sapnap that I’m also working on getting my memory back. I’m just… Tell him I’m sorry. He left before I could…”<br/><br/>“I get it.” Dream cut him off, sliding the piece of paper into the pocket of his trousers. He’d read the letter later. His eyes grazed the windows, watching the midday sun flare high in the sky. He grew disgruntled as he realized he was already probably late to his own afternoon appointments. Karl nodded, bidding him farewell before retreating to his chambers. As soon as Dream stepped out into the open field, he felt the thin grass wisp against his exposed legs. The lands outside of Karl’s library were overgrown with mushrooms towering overhead, shielding him from the morning rays. The cool wind accompanied him under the overcast shadows, breezing past his shoulders and blowing his cloak behind him like a cape. He smiled to himself, continually making his way towards the heart of Perforo, and towards his tent. A rush of memories and visions that he’d seen the evening prior flood his mind, brushing himself up for the shift ahead, and he sighs.</p><p> </p><p>As he approaches the tent, his face falls at the sight of the crowd. His frown grows further downhill as he enters his tent and finds Sapnap to be gone and away, already at his own duty. <em> Today was going to be a boring day, </em> he thought to himself. He pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, adjusting his mask until it was just right and took a deep breath. Once the clock struck noon, Dream opened up his tent curtain and welcomed the crowd in. </p><p> </p><p>His shift flew by fast, mostly filled with him relaying information in his cold emotionless voice that everyone expected of him. The more the hours stretched on, the more weary his eyes grew. It wasn’t necessarily that he was physically tired, but rather he was emotionally exhausted. Dream will admit, his shifts the past few weeks have grown to be tedious, and today was no different. The only highlight of his day was when a couple came in, holding hands, listening with genuine excitement to Dream’s visions. He found their reactions to be sweet, almost pure as he closely watched their behaviour around him. They’d seemed so… <em> content </em>in each other’s company, and so interested in each other that it was sickening. It almost reminded Dream of Karl and Sapnap in a way. When they’d gotten together, Dream wouldn’t ever hear the end of it, of the wedding that kept getting postponed, of their undying love for each other. It almost made Dream sad. Sure, he loved his friends, and he was happy for couples alike, but there was a forlorn thrum in his heart whenever he was faced with it. He’d never admit it out loud, but he wishes he had someone to come home to. With Sapnap, he’d go home to Karl in the library and all would be well. With Dream… he had no one. Although, he’d argue that he had Florens. He always had Florens to back him up. Yet, his family never seemed to satisfy that wanting ache in his soul. </p><p> </p><p>He’s quickly pulled from his moping as he bids the last of his customers goodnight, in complete shellshock of how fast time flew. He feels an itch in his throat as he feels his eyes start to drift. Once he catches a peek through the tent curtain, he notices the blackness that coated the streets. Coincidentally, a yawn escaped out of him, indicating it was time for him to fall asleep. Yet, he stopped himself from doing so just yet. Sapnap was nowhere to be found, which was odd because usually he’d stumble in, flopping onto the carpet in pure exhaustion from a day’s work. Dream hums to himself, a certain sadness pecking at his side. If Sapnap were a no-show, Dream would be compelled to spend the rest of the evening <em> alone </em>. </p><p> </p><p>He shuddered. He hated the word. If he was being honest, ‘hated’ was an overstatement. It was more like he feared being associated with it. <em> Alone </em>. The connotation of it all tasted vile on his tongue. Dream never did so well by himself, and he always prided himself in caring for his friends, being there for them when they needed him. Like his envy over Karl and Sapnap, he wished he had someone to come back to in Perforo. A sad part of him longed for an individual that would be by his side, but… he sighs. Shaking his head, he rids the thoughts from his mind. Dream tries to convince himself he’s not alone, that he has his family in Florens, that he has Sapnap whenever he’s free, but it’s not enough to fill the emptiness in his ribs. He falls asleep with a gentle ache in his heart, a heaviness on his shoulders. He doesn’t make any effort to think of anything, allowing himself a break from everything, and so he drifts.</p><p> </p><p>He wallows in his own wants, while reminding himself that he does everything for Karl and Sapnap. He reminds himself he needed to stop feeling like this for their sake, but his underlying selfishness hangs around him like rotten flesh on meat hooks. </p><p> </p><p>“If it makes you feel any better,” The man’s voice flooded his mind, causing Dream to straighten his back. Confusion decorates his face, wondering how he’d managed to get caught in a vision without forcibly pushing himself into one, “I get lonely too.”<br/><br/>“Reading my thoughts again?” Dream sighs, sitting up as he bunched his knees together, pulling them close to his chest. He looks up to find the man standing a few feet away, his feet bare and his hands in the pockets of his trousers. <br/><br/>“You can’t blame me for listening.” The man shrugged, making Dream squint his eyes at him. “Maybe you should work on shielding them from me.” The man moved forward, crouching down to reflect Dream’s motion until he was sitting directly in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>“How do you expect me to do that?” Dream humoured him, although his voice came off as cold. </p><p> </p><p>“Well,” The man crossed his arms, pinching his eyebrows together as he descended into deep thought, “Many say they just don’t think.” </p><p> </p><p>Dream rolled his eyes, facing away from him in frustration. “Not funny.” <em> God, he’s too exhausted for this </em> . “Sorry, I’m not up to talk right now.” <br/><br/>“Oh?” The man tilted his head, raising his brows in surprise. “Weren’t you the one that told me to meet you here? I even arrived early, aren’t you proud?” </p><p> </p><p>Dream didn’t answer.<br/><br/>The lighthearted exterior dropped, revealing a sneer underneath. “Okay, tough crowd. Who shoved a stick up your arse?” The man huffs in response, pivoting his body until his back was the only thing facing Dream. </p><p> </p><p>Dream blinked, unsure of how to respond. “Who shoved a stick up yours?”<br/><br/>The man grunted incoherently, stiffening his back. “You, apparently. I was trying to be nice, but you’re just so <em> mopey </em>tonight. Did you go through a breakup or something?” The disdain dripped off his tongue, the words flowing out of him with a hint of venom. </p><p> </p><p>“No, just feeling…” Dream groans, cutting himself short. He’s conflicted, but conclusively lets himself be vulnerable. He’s too exhausted to care anyways, “Lonely.”</p><p> </p><p>The man’s ears perked up, tentatively peeking over his shoulder to gaze at Dream’s sagging figure. He frowned slightly at the sight of him, “I mean...I got that. But, why?”<br/><br/>Dream’s gaze pierces through him, his lips thinning as he feels the dilemma clash between his ribs. His mind is wrapping tight chains around his urge to spill all he had to a stranger, while his throat threatened to run loose when given the chance. He sighed, letting the silence soak into his skin before he gave in. He had no guarantee that this was all real anyways, so he found no reason to refuse. “You know Karl, right?”</p><p> </p><p>The man seemed to tense at that, although he relaxed immediately when he nodded, “Yeah. I met him like… a week ago, maybe.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, um… I’m here for him.” Dream started off, but was cut off as the man snorted.<br/><br/>“Tell me something I don’t know.” Dream blinked, unamused. The man continued, fully turning to face him now. “I only stay to talk to you because of him. Did you really think I’d visit you again because you ordered me to?” A chuckle escaped out of him as he leaned backwards, propping his elbows onto the ground to support himself. “But do enlighten me on why that makes you lonely.”</p><p> </p><p>Dream’s brows raised, deciding to sweep aside the blatant rude behaviour he’d just witnessed, and instead welcome the influx of new information. He nodded, immediately attempting to piece whatever he had together. Sadly, it wasn’t enough to paint a coherent picture in his mind, so he sighed. “Okay, well-” He starts off, stalling as he gathers his thoughts, “-He has this fiance, and he’s my best friend actually, the fiance. His name is Sapnap, he’s a warrior elf, part of the Knighthood, but…” He caught his tongue as he started to go off topic, gulping the words down before he started anew. “That doesn’t matter. They’re in love and that’s great and all, but I don’t know.” He scoffed, feeling the embarrassment of his words settle into him. “Forget it. It’s stupid.”<br/><br/>The man pursed his lips, letting the cold air digest the words. “Well, I know how that feels.” He finally shrugs, offering Dream a thin-lipped smile. “You feel lonely and you wish you had someone like that. It’s not stupid if it’s bothering you.” He explains before gesturing to the emptiness that surrounded them. Stars decorated the void overhead, although where bookshelves formerly peeked through the rip and tear of the blackness, now rested the faint purple interior of his tent. “This place gets very lonely sometimes. I do appreciate a good conversation once in a while.” <br/><br/>Dream looked around, his curiosity peaking. “What <em> can </em> you do around here anyways?” <br/><br/>At that, the man’s smile faded. A devastated frown settled into his cheeks, making regret poke at Dream’s conscience. “Not much. I can only really interact with what you allow me to…” He laughs to himself; Dream notices the way it falls flat, like it was easily forced out of his throat. “You don’t dream much, do you?” <br/><br/>Dream opened his mouth to speak, but the rebuttal fell short on his tongue. The man was right. </p><p> </p><p>“Kinda weird for someone whose very <em> name </em>is Dream, don’t you think?” The man quipped, making Dream’s eyes widen. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, come on now,” Dream huffed, crossing his arms, “You can’t just find out my name through my thoughts.”<br/><br/>A smirk spread across the man’s cheeks, amusement gleaming in his eyes. “That’s not where I found your name, <em> idiot </em>.” The emphasis on ‘idiot’ sent Dream reeling, unsure of how to respond to it. Weirdly enough, he looked ready to elaborate further and explain how he knew, but he stopped himself at the last second. Dream didn’t know why; either way, he found the man’s presence utterly peculiar.</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Dream went to stretch his limbs, feeling the awkwardness seep into the silence that surrounded them, “If you know my name, then why won’t you tell me yours?”<br/><br/>When the words hit him, it almost seems to disappoint the being, deepening his frown. He sighed indignantly, “You still haven’t read about me yet?” The words almost sounded sad, coated with crushed hopes. </p><p> </p><p>“...I’m getting there.” Dream admits, feeling guilty. “The book Karl gave me is quite a lot to get through-”<br/><br/>“Yeah, yeah.” The man rolls his eyes, frustration furrowing in his eyebrows, “Great. Fine by me. Take your time.” Sarcasm seemed to roll off every syllable, his eyes darkening. Dream swears his once illuminated freckles dimmed in the evening light, the glow fading from his skin. “If you want to save your friend,” The man smiled, although passive-aggressively, “Read the book and find me when you <em> actually </em>care.” He spat, before levying himself off the floor to walk away from Dream. Everything happens so fast that Dream’s only able to let the words soak into him before he feels the familiar pull of consciousness interrupt his thoughts from surging. As he watches the man’s disappearing figure, he’s thoroughly confused. Confused, unsure and utterly lost. </p><p> </p><p>He wakes up with those same feelings lingering over his head, seeping into his lungs through quick breaths. He’s pulled from the void until he’s fully in touch with his current surroundings. His eyes dart around his tent, focusing on the purple interior, the purple carpet he laid upon, the sturdy oak table that stood in the centre, the sunlight peeking through the cracks of the tent curtains, and he sighs. After grounding himself, he sat up. Cricks in his back echoed, a throb emanating from the bone marrow of his spine. Dream is never going to get used to sleeping on the floor. The throb follows through to the front of his brain, already fuzzing the memories of the vision the night prior, allowing frustration to surge through him. He desperately clings onto the man’s final words: ‘<em> Read the book and find me when you </em> actually <em> care’ </em>, mainly because how could he not? It was said with so much venom and spite that Dream grew stumped at the sudden hostility. </p><p> </p><p>His behaviour struck him as odd, to say the least, considering he was cheeky one minute then bitter the next. Dream heaved himself upwards, his eyes scanning for his journal and satchel. What he needed to do was send a letter to Bad and the other wizards. There was so much to report back to all over the span of two days, and if Dream was being honest, wasting another day’s worth of travel to report such findings wasn’t ideal. Plus, he wasn’t sure where Sapnap ran off to, and he swore to never travel without Sapnap by his side. </p><p> </p><p>He hummed. God, he was pathetic. He ran a hand through his hair, scoffing as he found his satchel under the table with his journal splayed across the floor. As he picked up the journal and flipped through the pages, the possibilities of spare paper diminished to none as he skimmed through charcoal scribbles coating every single leaflet down to the spine. He blinked at his own ability to milk the journal for what it’s worth, but grew frustrated, grumbling, coming to the conclusion that he needed to find more paper. He tucked the journal into his satchel, gently placing it near the purple carpet as he went to stretch his back. </p><p> </p><p>Dream’s next destination would have to be the post office, he shrugs to himself. He tried to look on the bright side of things. He peeked a quick glance at his arms under his cloak, noticing the pale undertones on his exposed skin. Sapnap always did say Dream was in dire need of some Vitamin D, to which half of Badlands agreed with. Staying inside a tent for the majority of the week wasn’t anything compared to Sapnap’s sweat sessions in the beating sun, or Bad and Skeppy’s shenanigans in the wilderness. The point was, Dream would benefit the most from wandering Perforo for a while, although he wasn’t sure how relaxing it would be with how his presence surrounds him with whispers of awestruck wonder. He also had to be back by his tent in an hour or so. Dream curses himself for sleeping in so late sometimes — He decides maybe he should take Sam’s offer for an enchanted clock that would wake him up on time. He takes a brief mental note to mention it in his letter, clips his mask onto his face, and heads out onto the busy morning streets of Perforo.</p><p>Immediately, Dream is bumping shoulders with strangers and tourists alike as he navigates through the flowing river that was the morning rush. Situating his tent right in the market central of Perforo was good for business, but not good for anything else. Nights were peaceful enough for him to sleep, but the morning streets were a hassle if he ever decided to do shopping of his own, an example seen in this exact moment.</p><p>Once civilians noticed the familiar forest green, a hushed silence formed an untouchable aura around him. Relief surged through him, thankful that his reputation at least allows him this. He didn’t care much about the attention he received — Sapnap always complained that it was… inconvenient, to say the least, having a crowd follow his every move, but Dream appreciated it, although he did find it tiring at times. He dipped his head down slightly, letting out a wistful sigh as he trudged onwards past the separating crowd. </p><p> </p><p>After passing through muted chatter and hesitancy, Dream looked up to find a run down shack built with rusted wooden planks of a sunken ship, namely ‘Pirate Postal’ in oversized letters on the roof. Nautical decorations scattered the walls, the circular windows allowing Dream a peek into the lulling emptiness inside: a stark contrast to the liveliness of the morning streets. He cleared his throat, puffing his chest in faux confidence before strutting inside. A chime of bells rang overhead, signalling his entrance. A woollen figure shot up from behind the counter at the edge of the room: a woman with wide eyes that looked too closely to a… sheep? Dream halts in his tracks, staring at the presence before him. </p><p> </p><p>“Hi! I’m Puffy.” The lady smiled, leaning over the counter to outstretch a pale arm, smothered in wool. Dream cautioned forward, taking tentative steps towards the counter. The lady’s eyes were gentle, springy white hair resembling a bush bounced behind her head, her floppy ears tucked in between the coils. Dream blinked, taking it all in. He knew Mundus housed hybrids of sorts, and surely, he shouldn’t be this surprised for a sheep to be in such a hotspot like Perforo, yet he’s taken aback nonetheless. As Dream timidly returns the handshake, Puffy tightens her grip and beams, “Thanks for stopping by! Are you here to drop off a message?”<br/><br/>Dream is the first to break it off, administering some distance between him and the counter. Puffy leaned forward, eager for his answer, the large pirate hat tipping alongside her weight. Dream stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers, shrugging, “I… ran out of paper. I need to deliver the letter in an hour’s time, if possible.” </p><p> </p><p>Puffy nods along, backing off the counter to shuffle with the drawers around her. Shifting through cabinets and the like, she eventually pulled out a stack of paper. “Sure! To where, may I ask?”<br/><br/>“Badlands.” Dream offers. Straight to the point, just like he always liked it. “It’s… urgent.” <br/><br/>Puffy hummed, tossing him a look of acknowledgement before waving her palm slightly. Sparks of gold dust flew out the tips of her fingers before dissipating into the air around them; Dream watched as a feather quill gracefully soared towards her, tucking itself into the gap of her fingers before she cleared her throat. “Alright, say what you have to say.” She smiled, politely handing the feather quill over to him.</p><p> </p><p>Dream nodded. After receiving the quill and pulling a sheet of paper from the stack, he quickly got to work. Once the sharp tip hit the rough surface, dark ink flowed across the page, blotching at letters’ ends. Puffy let out a whistle, unsure of how to spend her time, Dream assumes. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re the Seer, aren’t you?” Puffy questions, attempting mindless smalltalk. Dream utters a sound of agreement, to which Puffy crosses her arms, hiding her hands in the crevices of her elbows. “I just started working here, but I hear you’re quite the hotshot.”<br/><br/>“That explains it.” Dream chuckles, his hands refusing to miss a beat as it scrawled his letter into the page. “The last few times I came here, I did <em> not </em> see a sheep behind the counter.” He attempts a joke which earns a snort from Puffy as she tries to stifle a laugh. <br/><br/>“Yeah, the appearance throws people off sometimes. When you did come into the store though, you looked more confused than alarmed.” She points out. “You almost reminded me of a young child when they get lost at the market.” <br/><br/>“Well, it’s not everyday I see a hybrid. Usually, they’re more prominent in Nemuri up North.” Dream explains, feeling his mask radiating heat back onto his skin. Being hunched over the counter is tiring, he finds out, so he tries his best to finish up all that he had. </p><p> </p><p>Puffy peers past his hood, laying her palms flat across the counter. “Yeah, I guess so.” Dream can feel her gaze burning on top of his skull, but he focuses on finishing the letter in record time. He assumes Puffy had inquiries regarding his mask, his identity, his job, everything general that’s been asked of him time and time again. Thankfully, she keeps them to herself as Dream finishes the letter. There are a few instances where he has to dip the quill back into the ink, but that doesn’t deter him from his speed. A minute passes, and Dream is close to finished. All that was left was to sign his name, and so he did. He adds a poorly written cursive rendition of his name, but definitely not his real name.</p><p> </p><p>Puffy squints at that, but she doesn’t question it. Dream hands her the letter, setting the quill gently onto the counter. Puffy mutters a thank you, continuing their conversation on something about ducks as she applies her magic to dry the ink, fold the page and plant stickers on its edges. Dream was fairly impressed, to say the least. Sure, her magic wasn’t as graceful or sophisticated as Bad’s, but it was still impressive. In fact, Dream always found it refreshing to encounter magic folk and the like. Those without often were his clients, which he unfortunately associated with a sense of monotony. Besides, there was an undying childlike wonder in the pit of his ribs regarding magic, reserving a soft spot for its occurrences and all that it stood for. </p><p> </p><p>Puffy directed him outside, smiling as she showcased the dove that was to deliver Dream’s letter for him. Their business gets sorted, and the two watch the dove soar into the sky, past the crowds of the market and into the speck of forest on the horizon. Puffy lays her hands on her hips, breathing a sigh of indignation, “Well, if you ever get a response, I’ll hand deliver it to your tent.”<br/><br/>“I’d very much like that.” Dream dips his head in gratitude, hoping Puffy could see the gentle smile behind his mask. They fall into lighthearted laughter and conversation outside the postal office, flooding Dream with a sense of fulfillment. Their time together gets shortly interrupted by a loud rumble emanating from Dream’s stomach, and it’s enough for Dream to step back and notice the subtle hunger pain that he’d been suffering for almost a day. </p><p> </p><p>“When was the last time you’d eaten?” Puffy questioned, gesturing for him to return inside the shop. </p><p> </p><p>Dream shrugged, fiddling with the fabric of his cloak. “I think… a day ago? Not quite sure, honestly.” He then understands how concerning that sounds out loud, making him compelled to justify the statement by saying he’s honestly used to a light diet. When he eats, he usually eats enough to last him the whole day anyways, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t worried once in a while about his own habits. </p><p> </p><p>Puffy pouts, pity swirling behind her eyes, “Aw, I have some left over biscuits if you want! You should’ve told me!” She insisted, beckoning him behind the counter as she opened up a cabinet, and pulled out a tray of crumbling biscuits. “They’re not… <em> that </em> great, mainly because they were practice for my magic, but… they’re tasty. They’re good if you haven’t eaten, of course.” <br/><br/>Dream nods, accepting a biscuit that looked sturdy enough to be held. He carefully lifted his mask upwards to reveal his lips before nibbling, the biscuit’s form immediately disintegrating in his grasp. “They’re actually good, what?” He murmured through loud crunches. </p><p> </p><p>“Thank you! Personally, I think I should just stick with mail. Hands-off baking is a dangerous game,” She adds. Dream lets out a short lived chuckle, before powering through the rest of the tray. “Is there any particular reason you don’t… eat?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I just don’t have time.” It was the truth, yet Dream didn’t know why it sounded so pathetic out loud. “I work even in my sleep, so oftentimes my own needs get overshadowed.”<br/><br/>“Aw,” Puffy cooed, pushing the tray closer towards Dream before clapping her hands together. “Well, I specialize in deliveries, so what if I give you breakfast and dinner alongside your mail?” She offers, her eyes wide and generous.</p><p> </p><p>Once the words sink in, Dream is at a loss for words. “Puffy, I can’t take-”<br/><br/>“My treat! You deserve to be looked after, Dream.” She finishes, crossing her arms and beaming. Dream’s completely taken aback. After his conversation in his sleep last night, Puffy’s declaration resonated deep within his skin, slightly soothing the itch in his heart. </p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.” He offers a genuine smile, not caring if biscuit crumbs framed his lips. That night, when Dream goes back to his tent and speeds through the new wave of client requests, his heart warms when he peeks his tent curtain open to find a picnic basket and a letter perched atop the dirt ground.</p><p> </p><p>♘</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> To Badlands, </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> It’s Dream. I’ve started reading the Lost Constellation book Karl talked about. Safe to say that it wielded results. Sapnap and I heard about the weird summonings in people’s sleep over the radio… have you heard about it? I summoned the constellation himself: he looks like a short man with glasses. No pointed ears, but no overwhelming power from him. He seems incredibly normal. Behaviour is hot and cold towards me. Feels somewhat bitter, but also really rude? Like this is all a game to him. Has Ant finished that auditory memory potion yet? </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Write back soon, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Dream </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><p>♘ </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
  <p><em>Hey Dream!</em><em><br/></em> <em>(Skeppy says hi. So does Ant. Sam is worried about Karl.)</em></p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Ant says that the memory potion is almost done, but he needs to rework some stuff. I could probably ask the dove you used to deliver it to you by … Ant says it could be done in a few days' time.  </em>
  </p>
  <p><em> Regarding your questions about the constellation… what? Sorry, me and Skeppy were a bit preoccupied with something else. </em> <em><strike> We haven't heard much about it.</strike> </em> <em> Sorry, scratch that. Sam just told me his prisoners were experiencing it too. Ant says he heard about it on the radio. It seems me and Skeppy were the only clueless ones. </em> <strike><em> PENIS PENIS PENIS </em></strike></p>
  <p>
    <em> SORRY SKEPPY TOOK THE QUILL </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Sorry, Dream. We could try researching it ourselves, but I’m not sure how far we would get. Just report to us your findings. Try contacting him if you can? </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Keep us updated, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Bad, Skeppy, Ant, and Sam </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>♘ </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> To Badlands, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> First, let me apologize for not writing immediately. I’ve been busy with work. Speaking of Karl, I haven’t spoken to him ever since a few days ago. Sapnap was distraught to see him by the way, so I haven’t really cared to go out of my way to speak to Karl. Sapnap hasn’t visited in a while, which is kind of weird. I’m sure he needs space to grieve. </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Moving on, I’ve been trying to contact this thing for the past three nights because I thought I could just do what I did last time.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Sadly, he doesn’t seem to want to join me. Last time we talked, he seemed pretty upset that I didn’t actually read up on him. Why would he be upset? I’ll try again tonight. </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Please send over the potion when you can, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Dream </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>♘ </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> To Badlands, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> I haven’t gotten a response, so I’m assuming you guys are out of the Mansion. Just here to update he was once again a no-show, so instead I’m going to try and finish this book.  </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Will keep you updated, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Dream </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>♘ </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> To Badlands, </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Sapnap hasn’t visited in a week. I hope he’s alright.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> In other news, currently debating if I should just skip to the mythology section. The section after the boring information deals with time travel and whatnot. It’s confusing stuff, and I’m pretty sure it’s an ungodly hour in the evening right now. I’ll try and contact him again. </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Hope you guys are well, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Dream </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><p>♘ </p><p> </p><p>Dropping his head into his hands, he dug the heels of his palm into his cheeks as he emptied out all his frustrations on one single breath. Where the hell was that damned thing? Flashes of goggles atop brown hair scrape at his skull, the cheeky smirk and their empty answers thrumming against his brain. Did he make it all up? Was it all a ploy of his own mind? Dream hadn’t had a genuine dream in so long that he wouldn’t be surprised if his own subconscious mind failed to infer the difference. Yet, at the same time, what if this was all part of what the constellation specialized in? In that talk show on the radio, Dream recalls the lack of memory accompanied after being visited by this supposed phenomenon, and the insecurity that could fester about your own realities. What if this was all a side effect?</p><p> </p><p>If it was, he shrugged and decided to let himself fall victim to it. Frankly, he was exhausted, and his patience was running thin. If a bloused idiot with goggles and stars for freckles lived to make people’s life a living Hell, so be it. Well, that’s what he would’ve thought, if only this constellation wasn’t their only hope for restoring Karl’s memory, or better yet, his entire <em> identity </em>. One hand lazily flipped through the pages, finally resorting to a quick grazed skim through the content until he found something that caught his eye. His efforts failed to bear fruit, finding nothing of importance. The book itself was quite a lot to get through, considering it dwelled a heavy amount of time on the ins and outs of astronomy and the like, which was surprising because the book binding didn’t reveal the pages to be thick nor crammed. </p><p> </p><p>Dream stares at the page beneath him, glancing back and forth between the thickness of the remaining content and his current progress. As minutes passed, the more his patience whittled itself down to a hair strand. Conflict coarsed through him, unsure if he should just skip to the mythology part, or if he should take his time with it. It had only been a few days, yet he hadn’t obtained any type of useful information. If there’s anything Dream hates, it’s <em> not </em> making any progress. He clenched his eyes shut, balling his hand into a fist to slam it against the oak desk. Is there anything he could use to help him? <br/><br/>And that’s when he remembered. Karl’s letter. The realization caused the paper to itch in his pockets, perking Dream’s head up. He dug into his pockets, pulling out the crumpled piece of paper. He couldn’t believe he forgot about it so easily, but he was thankful it was there when he needed it. Flattening the paper onto the table, he peered down onto the words, deciphering Karl’s scribbly handwriting one word at a time.</p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> For Dream </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> Page 404 deals mostly with what you’re trying to find. I’ve made myself notes on these pages to keep a track of my memory. It didn’t really help me though… Hopefully it helps you. I’m sorry I can’t help more, but I promise you that this guy is the key to everything. </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>Dream groans, allowing his head to fall to the desk. This entire investigation bore no fruit, no matter what branch he looked through. Frankly, he’s stressed, and he feels like he’s running out of time even though it’s only been a week. Dream doesn’t do well with being given free time; he always needs to be occupied with something, and a part of him always fished for situations that wielded quick results for him, but this entire debacle was just… pointless. He hated to label it as such, because he didn’t want to think of Karl that way, but he was <em> so </em> frustrated. Getting Karl’s memory back had already sucked this much out of him, and it had only been a <em> week </em> . He doesn’t even want to think of <em> what </em>was to come in the next few weeks.</p><p> </p><p>With one swift breath, all his thoughts melted into liquid form, flowing out of his mind at rapid speed. Steadying his breathing, he forces himself to brush his fingers against the thick binding. Leafing his fingertips through the pages, he makes quick work to locate the number Karl had specified. The sheer size of the book is enough to knock the wind out of him, but what thoroughly steals all the air from his lungs was the length between the page and from where he’d last left off. He mutters a muted thanks to Karl under hushed breaths, grateful that although Karl had lost himself, he didn’t lose his mercy towards others.</p><p> </p><p>A quick heave and lift of the pages sent a thud against the oak surface, greeting Dream with scrawls of black ink over diagrams depicting beings with rounded ears, humans, and figures hovering beside them with a rim of light circling their skull, gods. Dream squinted his eyes, inspecting the pages further.</p><p>The influx of information is enough to overwhelm him, so he decides to start small, redirecting his gaze to the top of the passage and soaking in the ancient words of myth. Hand in hand with the diagrams, the passage spoke of deities in the sky, informing of higher beings that roamed the several dimensions that those cursed with mortality could never quite traverse. Thoughts and theories started to swirl in his brain, categorizing the man he saw as one of them. Yet, it struck him as odd. <br/><br/>If the man was a so-called higher being, wouldn’t Dream feel power emanating from him? He shook his head, his eyes skimming onwards. The halo effect depicted in the pictures were resemblant of the sheer power that a regular person like Dream would feel: a power that would make it feel like your bones collapsed in on themselves, threatening to sink into the soil beneath; a power that would instill fear and awe simultaneously as the barrier between mortal and immortal blurred to allow such an interaction. What Dream felt in his vision was definitely <em> not </em> that. If his frustrations as he awoke were any indication that the man in his visions wasn’t a god, then he’s willing to trust his own instincts rather than some ancient scripture. <br/><br/>The flash of black ink protruded against the passage, allowing Dream to notice Karl reflecting the same sentiment. <em> What classifies something as a god? He has power. Not enough though. </em></p><p> </p><p>He pinched his eyebrows in confusion. What did Karl mean by the man having power that wasn’t enough? He assumed he’d have some sort of power if Karl connected him as their solution to restoring his memories, but nothing clicked for him just yet, and it was frustrating. The passage elaborated further on the different aspects of said higher beings, the nitty gritty details that Dream is already familiar with. He and Sapnap had spent years of their childhood dabbling in the library, digesting knowledge of the magic that surrounded them, curious of their backgrounds. Naturally, anyone possessing any sort of irregularity in their blood was knowledgeable of what the book was informant about. Offhandedly, Dream guessed the book was for regular humans, or nosy folk that decided to spend their afternoons, much like he was right now.</p><p> </p><p>He sighed, drumming his fingers against the table. The fingerless gloves itched at his knuckles, pricking a sense of discomfort on the back of his hand the more he read on. Exhaustion tugged at his eyelids, pulling them until his eyelashes threatened to tickle the top of his cheeks, until another flare of black lettering caught his eye. <em> Not a god. Perfect for the job. </em></p><p> </p><p>Dream immediately straightened his back, motioning for his elbows to rest on top of the table. Balling his hands into fists, he rested his knuckles against his cheeks as he pursed his lips. Humming to himself, he let his predictions run wild in his mind. It’s what Dream suspected: the fact that he wasn’t a god, that is. He was thoroughly stumped at Karl’s relief at that fact, until his eyes glanced at the next paragraph only to have the answers blatantly shining upon the page.</p><p> </p><p>He blinked, watching the book now delve into the exceptions of gods. Those that have characteristics of gods, yet lack such power. It checked out with what Karl had written on the passage prior, so Dream continued. Those possessing the build of a god may have the ability to traverse the dimensions, but it’s not enough to classify them as such. Dream hummed to himself, finding out that these types of exceptions only applied to a category called ‘constellations’. Things started to click together, like the title of the book and the fact that his vision was so… galaxy themed. Constellations, according to the book, were a special kind of god like figures, limited in power yet blessed with the freedom of movement. They resided in the universe, where no mortal could travel as their bodily functions would cease to exist in such morbid conditions, and they were tasked with protection of the stars. The passage didn’t elaborate on what that meant, but Dream found it to be poetic. Would the man in the vision be considered the constellation that they were looking for? Sure, he’d assumed as much, but having it laid out in front of him seemed… almost too easy. </p><p> </p><p>The more he read on, the more the inconsistencies protruded in the text. If that person, thing, whatever, was tasked with protection of the stars, then what did he have to do with Karl? The last time he checked, the night sky had no correlation to cherished memories of loved ones. The text had also included that these constellations were gentle beings, and that man was everything but gentle with him.</p><p>His mind was spinning, recalling the bitterness he felt from the person in his vision, feeling the slight tinge of guilt in his gut. He could feel himself running into a deadend, the dooming feeling mixing into the guilt in stomach. He tried to shake the uncertainty off his shoulders, instead focusing his attention on the diagram that resided alongside the text. A genderless being was depicted floating in a void, surrounded by stars. It wasn’t helpful in the slightest, but it did help to sidetrack his train of thought for a bit. If he squinted and really believed in himself, he could almost imagine tufts of brown hair crowned with white goggles decorating the figure’s head.</p><p> </p><p>God, he was exhausted. His eyelids were heavy on his gaze, his focus on the pages blurring as his body was pulled into a deep slumber. Before he fully submerged himself into his unconscious, he tried his hardest to piece things together. And most of all, he hoped for the constellation to accept his invitations and to return to his visions again, if only to confirm the verity of his findings. This time, he conditions his mind with the vividry of the night sky. He imagines glints of white speckled along a blackened canvas; he imagines the faint glow of freckles sprinkled across equally pale skin. He imagines, all in an attempt to contact the supposed constellation, and hopes for the best.</p><p> </p><p>♘ </p><p> </p><p>“Congratulations!” The accent flows in his ears, tensing his shoulders as Dream comes to. “You finally figured it out.” His vision was slow to focus, but he knew he was asleep. He knew that he was back in another vision, and if he was being honest, a part of him was ecstatic that he was able to finally contact the constellation. “It only took you…” When his surroundings came into clear focus, Dream noticed the same man he’d been thinking about for the past few days crouching in front of him, wide eyes and a smirk decorating his face. Relief took hold of his form, sagging his already droopy posture. “...A week.” Dream blinks, only then realizing that the constellation was caught up in his own monologue: a detail Dream hadn’t been paying attention towards in the thirty seconds prior. “You seem so happy to see me too.” The constellation pouted, resting his forearms on his knees. “I decided to humour your requests today, Dream. You’re welcome.” He beamed, flashing his teeth in a brief smile before returning to the cheeky smirk Dream could almost associate him with.</p><p> </p><p>Dream rolled his eyes, realizing he was sitting on the floor directly in front of the constellation. “So, what you’re saying is… you knew I was trying to contact you, but you just…” <br/><br/>“I just didn’t come.” The man shrugged, smiling to himself like it was something to be proud of. “It was kind of pathetic seeing you wait for me every night. I could’ve easily been tormenting others for entertainment, but seeing your frustrations was a more amusing option.” The accent lilted in his voice, his origins outside of Perforo prominent in his pronunciations. Dream tilted his head, curious.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know, it kind of sounds like you’re obsessed with me if you decide to just watch me for hours every night.” Dream jokes, readjusting the cloak around his shoulders. It was the same forest green he always wore, and he sometimes wondered why it wouldn’t ever show up in a lighter shade. </p><p> </p><p>“I could say the same for you.” The constellation scoffs, looking Dream up and down. “With the way you’ve been trying to find out about me for even longer than I could’ve <em> possibly </em> watched you.” <br/><br/>Dream cut in, “Only because you asked-” <br/><br/>“You would’ve still researched more about me even if I didn’t ask. You’re desperate to help your friends. Desperation equals obsession, Dream.” He rebutted, immediately looking smug as the words spilled out of him.</p><p> </p><p>Dream squints, his jaw falling slightly ajar. “...Why are you so bold? The book said you’re supposed to be gentle, but you’ve been nothing but rude to me so far.” Dream went to comically cross his arms for dramatic effect, earning a slight giggle from the company in front of him. </p><p> </p><p>“You underestimate me, Dream.” He doesn’t know why, but Dream always experiences whiplash everytime the constellation personally refers to him by his name. He almost forgets he knows nothing about the constellation, yet the man knows the basics of Dream. It’s a terribly unfair exchange, really. “I’ve been keeping you company, have I not? Don’t even try to deny that I’m not somewhat entertaining to you.”<br/><br/>Dream went to open his mouth, ready to utter his denial, but… he found himself to agree wholeheartedly. They’d only interacted a total of three times, but every single time the constellation had talked to him like he’d known him for forever. It was a weird feeling, considering they’d just met. Yet, Dream seemed to go along with it every time. “I guess.” Dream surrenders, shrugging his shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>“...Dream?” The constellation gasped, his eyes widening. His hands travelled up over his mouth, trying to fight back a smile. “Did you just agree with me? Let’s go!” He pumped a fist into the air, yelling out an elongated cheer into the emptiness around them. When he calmed down, he leaned back, tilting his head up to gaze at the sky. “Having someone agree with me is so refreshing, you don’t understand.” He breathed, his words soft. Dream took notice of it, the vulnerability laced within the syllables.</p><p> </p><p>“How so?” Dream questions, his previous agenda buried deep under his selfish desires of human interaction. If he was being honest, he’d missed Sapnap. He doesn’t know where he ran off to, and the worrying concern of his well being threatened to eat him alive in the past week. He could always continue his mission the next night. Plus, he was well overdue for a break.</p><p> </p><p>“Like…” The man huffed, pursing his lips as he descended into a deep thought. The goggles atop his hair clung to his head, reflecting the beams of moonlight that shone through the rifts of their little bubble. Dream noticed the freckles and their faint glow. God, he would never get used to that minor detail. “Well, I’d rather you find this out yourself, but I’ll grant you some of my mercy.” Dream’s pointed ears perked up at the sound of that, understanding the implications behind his words. He was about to entrust Dream with valuable information directly from the source. “You already know I’m a constellation or whatever, but like… the book is wrong. Your friend is… it’s whatever, really.” He shook his head, and Dream could sense his insistence of abandoning the topic. Dream’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, unsure of what the constellation had just revealed.<br/><br/>“Sorry, what do you mean by the book is wrong?” Dream pushed, but he didn’t achieve the satisfaction of an answer. <br/><br/>“Where’s the fun in that? Find it out yourself.” The man rolled his eyes, fully leaning back now until his back made contact with the floor. He rested his hands atop his stomach, his eyes drifting shut as he continued. “Anyways, as I mentioned earlier… I go into people’s dreams or whatever. Kinda like how I am right now, and as I said… I… I’m not as nice to them as I am to you, I guess.” <br/><br/>“If <em> this </em>is you being nice to me, you must be god awful with others then.” Dream forces out a laugh, an attempt to ease the tension. It...somewhat works.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not funny.” The man’s reply was monotonous, but Dream could see him biting back a smile. “But, yeah. Usually, they beg me to leave them alone. I joke with them and they say I’m interfering, or that I’m a demon and should go back to where I came from. Having someone be nice to me for a change is refreshing, that’s all.”<br/><br/>“Have you ever considered that maybe I’m only nice to you because you’re not purposely making my life a living Hell like you are with others?” Dream quipped. <br/><br/>“Oh, shut up.” The constellation groaned, but a smile was evident on his face, tugging at his cheeks. Dream softened at the sight, watching the lines of his cheek form against his mouth. “If you haven’t noticed, you’re still holding a conversation with me even after I make you do all the work.”</p><p> </p><p>“And?” Dream crossed his legs, finding himself to be drumming his fingers against his knees. </p><p> </p><p>“And… It means that you’re not like the people I usually deal with. You’re... tolerant. I appreciate that you’re tolerant.”<br/><br/>“Oh, believe me, you’re frustrating as all Hell.” He forces a chuckle out of his throat. “If it wasn’t for my friends, then I’d probably just leave you alone and do things myself.” Dream admits, unsure of how sad that sounded out loud.</p><p> </p><p>According to the way the man’s smile falters, the answer to that is ‘sad enough’. The silence that follows after is elongated, a filtered white noise falling upon them. Dream doesn’t make the first move to speak up, unsure of how to phrase a sentence that would light up the conversation back to its original point. The constellation returns the sentiment, ultimately rigid like he was occupied with his own thoughts. “Dream?”<br/><br/>“Yes?” Dream’s voice was meek, unsure.</p><p> </p><p>“Have you ever done something for yourself? Or taken a break?” The man’s question is innocent, and interwoven with genuine curiosity and slight concern. Dream doesn’t answer. Instead, he lets the question marinate in the silence, and the awkwardness to soak into their skin. “Sorry. Th-that’s probably too invasive or something.” He stuttered, clearing his throat. “I just … I don’t know. I just noticed you put too much focus on the people around you in your thoughts, but rarely do I ever find a thought regarding your own wants… if they even exist.”<br/><br/>Dream hated that. What the constellation was saying was a complete invasion of his privacy, as he basically implied sifting through Dream’s thoughts, and the inner workings of his brain. Dream should be mad, or grossed out by the notion, but he doesn’t feel any of those. Instead, he feels… exposed, and bare — like the man had just made him face something he was avoiding for the longest time. Probably because he <em> was </em>. “...Not that I know of.” He breathes, letting the truth escape him.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s what I thought.” The man tutted, shaking his head in disbelief. As the constellation sat up, Dream could see the ends of their surroundings blurring.“I know you’re going to wake up soon, but I’ll let you leave with one final thing. Look out for yourself, Dream. You can’t save Karl if you don’t think about yourself for a bit.” Dream feels the familiar tug of reality on his subconscious, but the man leans forward until he’s inches away from his face. “That’s my word of advice. You’re clearly overworked, and you deserve a break. Think of yourself. You’re going to need it, and besides,” the man pauses, mischief brewing behind his eyes, “<em> You deserve to be looked after, </em> don’t you?” <br/><br/></p><p>♘ </p><p><br/>Dream’s breath hitches, caught completely off guard by his finishing statement. He wakes up in a jolt back in his tent, the sun shining through the front of his tent. The words pound against his skull, feelings of cheeky triumph coursing through his bloodstream as the man’s presence dissipates with his waking mind. What the hell gave him the right to use Puffy’s words against Dream in such a vulnerable state? It was vile, uncalled for, and most of all, it was <em> frustrating </em>. He grew tired of the feeling, and the word especially but there was no other way to describe the agitation that he felt everytime he woke up. He drops his head back down onto the desk with an audible thud, an exhausted groan escaping from his throat. </p><p> </p><p>“This is so <em> pointless </em> .” Dream admits to himself, shutting his eyes in defeat. <br/><br/>“What is?” A familiar deep voice echoed through the tent, causing Dream to whip his head upwards. Standing at the entrance of the tent was no one other than Sapnap, looking tattered and worn down, but with a welcoming light behind his eyes. <br/><br/>“Sapnap?” Dream croaks in complete disbelief. Sapnap offers a half-smile, causing Dream to stand up from his chair and march towards him with a purpose. “Where the hell did you run off to? You had me so worried, you prick.” Immediately, he threw his arms around Sapnap’s neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Sapnap was late to reflect the motion before Dream broke off their contact, so all he could do was offer a sheepish smile and apologize. <br/><br/>“Sorry. I just… the Knighthood offered this week-long training session down South, and I needed to get away from everything. I should’ve told you about it - I’m sorry, really.” Sapnap dipped his head downwards, his smile meshing into an awkward frown. </p><p> </p><p>Their conversation was cut short from a timid bleat from outside the tent. “Dream, are you awake?” The voice was hopeful, open, and it was the voice of none other than Puffy. Sapnap tilted his head in curiosity, walking over to the entrance. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder, raising his eyebrows momentarily as he gestured for Dream to conceal his face. With that, Dream snapped his eyes around the room to locate the mask. He supposes that it fell off while he slept, so he was thankful to find it flat on the desk. Quickly, he slid the mask over his face, and Sapnap pulled the tent curtain open to reveal Puffy’s shy stature in the morning light.</p><p> </p><p>She wore a pink dress of sorts, a sort of pink that complimented the wool of her skin. Her arms were behind her back, a failed attempt at concealing the picnic basket. Dream pouted, stepping forward to stand alongside Sapnap. “Dream, who is this?” Sapnap whispered, looking Puffy up and down with hesitancy.</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning, Puffy. Sapnap, this is Puffy. She runs the postal office. She’s been feeding me for the past few days.” Dream explains, waving at her in greeting.</p><p> </p><p>Puffy swings the basket to her front, grinning. “Yeah! Good morning to you both. I brought you some jelly sandwiches. I made quite a few, but hopefully this is enough to last you the whole afternoon. I’ll come by tonight with some more food, if you’d like.” She hands the basket over to Sapnap, who eagerly peeks inside and takes a whiff.</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t thank you enough, Puffy.” Dream sighs, taking the basket from Sapnap’s hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Will your friend be here tonight? I could bring some food for him as well.” Puffy offers, her eyes wide.</p><p> </p><p>“Definitely!” Sapnap pipes up, bowing his head in gratitude. “My favourite is lamb-”</p><p> </p><p>Dream immediately elbows Sapnap’s side with a harsh jab, hissing at him to shut his mouth. “His favourite is lamprey eels. They’re good with salads.” It was a quick save, but telling a sheep hybrid that your favourite food is lamb, or mutton even, is messed up on all fronts.</p><p> </p><p>“Seafood?” Puffy says to herself mostly, but she places her hands on her hips and nods enthusiastically. “Consider it done. I’ll stop by the market if I have time.”<br/><br/>“Thank you so much, Puffy.” Dream replies again, letting Sapnap steal the basket from his grasp and retreat to the desk inside. </p><p> </p><p>“Have a good rest of your day, boys.” Puffy adds, before spinning on her heel and returning to the crowd that surrounded Perforo’s square. Dream bites the inside of his cheek, tapping at the sides of his trousers before heading back inside. He’d have to start his shift again soon, and he was definitely not looking forward to that. Sapnap had already dug his way through a few sandwiches, remnants of jelly coating the outer corners of his lips.  </p><p> </p><p>“That’s messed up, dude.” Dream deadpans, completely sure Puffy was out of earshot. </p><p> </p><p>Sapnap raised an eyebrow, halting mid-chew. “What? I didn’t catch on that lamb and sheep were similar.” Crumbs fell onto the floor as he spoke, his cheeks puffed and full of food.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I hope you’re looking forward to seafood tonight.” Dream steps forward, picking out a sandwich from the bottom of the basket. The bready exterior sagged in his grasp, the purple jelly oozing out the sides. “Are eels tasty?” </p><p> </p><p>“The navy in Ranska say it’s a delicacy.” Sapnap gulps; Dream watches the food bob down his throat. “I’d assume it to be slimy as hell though.”</p><p> </p><p>“I mentioned a salad to save us somewhat.” Dream pushed aside his mask until it hung from the side of his face, then took a hefty chunk out of his sandwich, allowing himself the luxury of savouring the taste with a slow chew. The steady supply of food did wonders to his energy, oftentimes reminding him that food was a bodily necessity for a reason. </p><p> </p><p>“Salads… <em> shit </em>, dude.” Sapnap groaned, finishing off the crumbs off his fingers before reaching back into the basket. “I got the shitty kind of salads during the program, like the ones strictly involved with leaves and whatever. It was awful.”</p><p> </p><p>“What did you even do there?” Dream asked in an attempt to light up some smalltalk. “The Knighthood thing, I mean.” </p><p> </p><p>“A lot of mind numbing shit.” Sapnap shrugged, resting his hands on his hips. “I’d usually spend hours working on my punches, beating the shit out of the training dummy,” He snorted, “and honestly it really helped take my mind off things. It helped me forget shit about Karl if that makes sense.”<br/><br/>“Well, everyone has their way of coping.” Dream offered. “Do you feel better now at least?” The concern was genuine, somewhat thankful he didn’t have his mask on to hinder that. He knew Sapnap felt iffy about his mask, mainly due to the disconnect he wasn’t quite vocal about. There wasn’t much Dream could offer as a solution, so he often resorted to stressing his emotions in the way he phrased his words.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess.” Sapnap utters, his eyes falling to the floor. “I don’t know. I was there the whole week. I didn’t go to your tent or anything at night. I just stayed in the quarters because I felt like it was more efficient."<br/><br/>Dream narrows his eyes, “Sapnap… I don’t want to be that person, but have you even… gone back to that library? I know I haven’t.” Dream’s not a genius, or thoroughly trained in dealing with grief of sorts, but he just had to ask. From his perspective, it was entirely obvious Sapnap was engaging himself with isolationist tendencies. Enrolling in that Knighthood program, and refusing to see Karl… Dream’s almost positive Sapnap had run straight here after the Knighthood program had finished. He knew what Sapnap was doing, and he couldn’t let him continue doing so.</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap stills, and Dream frowns. “Can’t say that I have.” </p><p> </p><p>“You can’t just keep avoiding him—” Dream lets out a sigh of resignation, setting the half-eaten sandwich on the desk. “He’s probably like… really confused, and you avoiding him is not helping.”</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap scowled, his eyebrows furrowing. “And why is that?”<br/><br/>Dream blinked in disbelief, but continued. “Well, imagine you lost your memories and someone who claims to have been your everything starts avoiding you. He’s probably feeling guilty as is.”</p><p> </p><p>The silence that falls between them is deafening, and Dream can tell Sapnap knows he’s right. “...So? Seeing him would only hurt, Dream.” He says matter of factly, his tone cold and harsh. “It’s not that easy.”<br/><br/>“Nobody said grief is easy, Sapnap.” His hands fall to his side, fiddling with the loose threads of his cloak. </p><p> </p><p>“Are we really doing this right now?” Sapnap whined, his stare cutting towards Dream like a knife. Maybe the ice in his voice was the reason behind his lack of fire. “I come here to hang out with my best friend and instead, I’m interrogated and <em> judged </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, okay!” Dream threw up his hands defensively, deciding to drop the subject. They’d go back to this when the time was right. “Fine, sorry. You’re right. It’s too early for this anyways.” Sheepishly, he grabbed the remaining half of his sandwich and gobbled it up in one gulp. </p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.” Sapnap breathed, peering down to inspect what was left inside the basket. “You can take what’s left.” He used the blank sleeve of his shirt to wipe at his mouth, a purple smear staining the pale fabric as he pulled away. “Ah, shit. I’m gonna have to change.”</p><p> </p><p>It was then and there that Dream was all too aware of his hygiene situation. The last time he’d showered had to be… a day ago? He wasn’t entirely sure. The past week seemed to be a blur for him, yet he wouldn’t put it past himself to forget something as basic as showering. He went to sniff at his armpits, but failed to recognize a stench. He sighed; that doesn’t mean he’s going to be taking any chances. “Me too. Wanna head to the public showers?”</p><p> </p><p>“I guess.” Sapnap shrugs, and once Dream adjusts the mask onto his face, he scarfed down a few quick bites of the remaining sandwiches and then they’re on their way. The whiff of morning air plagues Dream’s nose, cooling his cheeks from underneath his mask. The beaming heat rays pierce through his back, collecting a significant warmth in his cloak. As they trudged through the bustling streets, Sapnap had told Dream about the specifics of his extensive training. Tales of cold baths paved the way for their usual back and forth banter, and Dream was grateful. He missed these kinds of interactions, and he <em> definitely </em>missed Sapnap. </p><p> </p><p>Getting to the public showers was an easy task, only burning a miniscule portion of their day. Dream had changed into regular clothes, aiming for comfort underneath his cloak. He’d slipped on a pair of dark flushed trousers, and a short-sleeved shirt stained a bright yellow. It somewhat complimented the forest green of his cloak, but a part of him found it unpleasant on the eyes. Sapnap had reflected the same sentiment, although he threw on a plain white tee, exposing the bulk of his biceps and loose fitting shorts that only fell down past his knees. The cloth that was tied around Sapnap’s forehead wrapped snug around his wrist, which Dream definitely knew was a placeholder until they returned to the tent. In all honesty, the two looked like they had different agendas, with Sapnap dressed for the beach and Dream looking like he’s on his way back to Florens. </p><p> </p><p>On their way back to the tent, Dream looked over his shoulder to find Sapnap nervously chewing on his lip. The sun still shone high in the sky, blaring its light along the street they walked on. Dream nudged him gently in the shoulders, raising his brows. “You okay?”<br/><br/>Sapnap’s eyes widened momentarily, easily startled by the motion. He cleared his throat, moving to scratch at his chin. “Yeah, just…” The words seemed to die in his throat; Dream could see the hesitancy in his eyes. “Never mind. Any progress on the Karl situation?” </p><p> </p><p>Dream hummed, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “I mean, I’ve talked to the guy.”</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap let out a whistle, his back straightening. “What the hell? What did I miss in the past week?”<br/><br/>“Not much,” Dream admits, accompanying his own disappointment with a soft chuckle, “The guy’s kinda weird. He doesn’t want to give me information directly, so he’s been making me do all the work.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s... inconvenient.” Sapnap offers, his eyes falling to the ground. </p><p> </p><p>“You can say that again.” Dream sighs, letting his exhaustion mingle between the words.</p><p> </p><p>“What have you found out so far then?” The familiar tint of purple flashed across Dream’s vision, indicating their arrival to the tent. Mindlessly, Dream informs him of every singular detail that’s encompassed his past week, to which Sapnap listens with hopeful intent. He flips through the book, walking Sapnap through his thought processes in hopes he’d view it in a different perspective.</p><p>Alas, to Dream’s dismay, Sapnap only hummed with a disappointed shake of his head. A distinct murmur falling outside their tent served as an abrupt interruption, indicating that it’d turned peak in the afternoon and Dream’s shift was to start. Whatever frustrations bottling up inside of him was suppressed immediately, and instead replaced with a strong determination to complete his shift. Sapnap claps him on the shoulder, and soon they’re back in business.</p><p>Requests run smoothly, as they usually do, as Sapnap’s boisterous behaviour boomed through Perforo’s town square. They take a break in between as Puffy visits them with their dinner, sneaking in a few puff pastries she’d conjured up as her own personal treat. Finishing up with the final few customers was easy enough, and things got slow. So slow that Dream decided to burn some energy flipping through the pages of the book, skimming pages further into the chapter. Sapnap walks in, announcing that their tent’s officially closed. Dream nods, engulfed in the passages of ancient scripture. The two work together to make sense of it all, but they can only do so much. Their conversations ran dry, and night had soon fallen upon the evening sky. Dream was the first to notice the impending darkness on the street, slamming the book shut in frustration. <br/><br/>From what he’d skimmed in the past hour, the two were at a complete, and absolute roadblock. Like they were on a path, and an immovable boulder blocked every way through. The lack of progress was suffocating, to say the least, and Dream hated it. Sapnap pursed his lips, contemplating on how to move themselves forward. Answers had to be hidden between the lines, otherwise why would Karl recommend such a specific novel? Dream wouldn’t know. Sapnap’s his only intel with the importance of the book, yet even <em> he’s </em> clueless. All in all, it was a dead end and Dream <em> hated </em> it. The least ideal situation in Dream’s mind is that they both shrug and call it a night, but surprisingly, what Dream wants to do is <em> exactly </em>that. It was worth a shot, Dream thinks, getting Sapnap’s perspective - but, how fruitful would it be in the long run, he wonders? </p><p> </p><p>Yawning, he settles himself onto the carpet, his cloak and mask neatly placed on the desk. He’s too tired for this, and he can figure things out in the morning when he’s managed a clear mind. Sapnap’s still sat at the desk, slumped against his chair as his eyes scan the room. </p><p> </p><p>“Go to sleep, Sapnap.” Dream tries to utter out, his words somewhat incoherent through his incessant yawns. His eyes drift closed, which means he takes in his surroundings through sounds. He can hear Sapnap shuffling around in his seat, the wood creaking underneath him as he leans into the desk. <em> Always so stubborn, </em> Dream thinks sarcastically to himself. </p><p> </p><p>“No, no, no-” Sapnap mutters under his breath, which makes Dream’s eyes shoot wide open in curiosity. “Dream.” Sapnap turns to face him, his eyebrows pinched together as he frowns. “I was just thinking-”<br/><br/>“...Say it?” <br/><br/>“You told me he fits the descriptions of a constellation, yet he also doesn’t, am I wrong?” Dream shakes his head. “Well, I was thinking- in the Knighthood, they were talking about curses and stuff, and honestly I didn’t want to think about it but what if it’s one of those... chameleon curses?” </p><p> </p><p>He blinks, almost baffled at what Sapnap had just brought to the table. He’d never think dark magic would be involved in something so superficial as a man visiting dreams, yet at the same time, why would it <em> not </em> be dark magic? He hadn’t known about Karl’s time travelling hobby until last week, yet he still understood time travelling was a dark magic of sorts. Anything that threw off the balance of the universe was considered dark magic, and if any of those radio tales are true about what the so-called constellation’s been up to, it was safe to say there had been enough imbalance brought upon the universe with one singular person. Now that Karl was added into the mix, Dream is almost embarrassed he didn’t think of it immediately.</p><p>With that said… chameleon curses were a peculiar thing. He’s not all too familiar with the concept, but he did read up on them a lifetime ago. A regular person would never dabble with dark magic unless they desperately wanted to. Getting into it required horrid amounts of strength, whether it be physical or emotional, Dream doesn’t know. It’s always said that dark magic takes a toll on the user, like their soul is being spoiled and tainted the more they use it. It’s a bunch of bullshit, Dream wants to think, but this was the push in the right direction they so desperately wished for. Anyhow, what Sapnap was implying was that this wasn’t a constellation, that the man was instead… cursed to look like he’d been a constellation. Chameleon curses were definitely something to look into in the morning, and it was enough to get Dream’s blood pumping in anticipation. <br/><br/>“It would make sense.” Dream adds, forcing the words out to fill the eerie silence. “I never thought of it like that.” He looks to Sapnap with a proud smile, appreciation gleaming in his eyes. “Thank you for pointing that out.” Sapnap seemed to soften at that, turning equally bashful at his words. Dream continues, bringing a hand up to stroke at his chin as he nestled himself in deep thought. “Now that I think about it… it would make complete sense. If he was cursed, it would explain how adamant he is about me doing all the work. Or even yet, what if his curse is that he can’t say how to save him? He asks random strangers to try and find him… but what does finding him even mean?” <br/><br/>Sapnap shrugs, migrating from the desk onto the carpet beside Dream. “I don’t know, but if Karl says he’s the key to getting his memories back then… maybe saving the guy from his curse is what’ll save everything.” <br/><br/>The realization hits Dream like a cleaver aimed at his skull. Whatever curse the man had, which was highly likely, was tied into Karl’s memory loss, and generally… almost everything. Newfound possibilities jumped around in his mind, that maybe the curse holding the man hostage got Karl’s memories caught in the crossfire. Whatever it was, the man held more knowledge than he let on, and Dream felt… triumphant. He made a breakthrough on something he’d been stuck on for almost a week, and he truly felt he could go somewhere with this. Once he finally snaps out of his thoughts, Sapnap’s already emitting soft snores beside him. Dream softens, muttering a silent thanks under his breath before submitting himself to a deep sleep.</p><p> </p><p>♘ </p><p> </p><p>Dream wastes no time keeping himself on high alert once he arrives in his dream state — He recognizes the same interior setting: the void, the rips that reveal purple cloth underneath, and most importantly, the feeling of confidence festering in his chest. Grounding himself in the dream state, he awaits for the man’s arrival with bated breath, his eyes skimming the space in anticipation. <br/><br/>“Someone’s excited to see me.” Dream finds him emerging from the shadows like a mythical being, his limbs fading into existence like he was a ghost. <br/><br/>“You could say that.” He failed to conceal the energy in his voice, and the so-called constellation caught on quickly. <br/><br/>“Let me guess...” He trudged his feet along the floor - if there even was a floor to begin with - with a hand scratching at his chin curiously, “...you found some more information?” <br/><br/>“Yes.” Dream blurted out a little too quickly, catching himself off guard. He gulped down his oncoming word vomit, afraid he would go on a questioning spree if he didn’t. “You’re cursed, aren’t you? A chameleon curse, right?” <br/><br/>At that, the man stills. Dream watches the way surprise lifts his eyebrows and for dread to settle in his cheeks as he frowns. The frown wasn’t a reaction he expected, but he waited for him to speak up. “Yeah, I am.” </p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” Dream nods, his hands fiddling with the loose threads of his cloak. “Good. My friend came up with that one.”</p><p> </p><p>The man scoffs, mischief gleaming in his eyes. Dream watches his movements closely.  “I can see that. I guess our little Dreamie needed some outside help.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, okay, now-” Dream protests, running a hand through his hair. “When you’re of no help, you can’t really blame me for-”<br/><br/>“Your friend has never talked to me in his life yet he still brought up an interesting point before you.” He deadpans. “I’m getting second-hand embarrassment, Dream.” </p><p> </p><p>“Second hand?” Dream gawks, although his reactions were minimized. His thoughts were racing, scraping against his skull with every new theory, serving as a distraction from everything.</p><p> </p><p>“You know what I mean.” He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he looked around. “Hey, Dream. I hate to ask you this but your place is kind of boring.” </p><p> </p><p>Dream narrows his eyes. “What? Are you talking about the…”<br/><br/>“Void. Yes.” Dream follows his lead, eyes scanning the emptiness that surrounded them. “It’s really irking me at how barren this is. Not to make you feel bad or anything, but usually people’s dreams are more… exaggerated than this. All this is just a poor reconstruction of your real surroundings. Kind of boring, if you ask me.” <br/><br/>“Yeah, well-” Dream wasn’t entirely sure what he meant, or why he was so suddenly hostile all of a sudden. He supposes it could be a distraction, or something to derail their conversation. “-Good thing that I’m not asking you. Where is this coming from?” <br/><br/>“Nowhere.” The man shrugs, his head hanging from his neck as he looks down at his feet. He was still barefoot against the blackened ground, and his clothes never ever seemed to change. “I’m just sick of coming back to this wasteland whenever we seem to talk. Is it always like this?” <br/><br/>“I… yeah? Why would it not be like this?” Confusion clouds his mind the more he presses on, but he rolls with it. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re a Seer, aren’t you?” Dream nods to confirm it. “That explains it then.”<br/><br/>“What does?” <br/><br/>“The fact that your dream state is boring because you’ve probably conditioned it to be that way.” It’s said with such annoyance that Dream feels guilty for something he hadn’t known was something he could control. “Dream, change it.” <br/><br/>“To what?” <br/><br/>“I don’t know-” He sputters, nodding his head towards the void around them. “Fix this up. I want something fun.” <br/><br/>“What classifies as fun for you?” Dream questions, thoroughly lost on what his request entailed. Sure, Dream’s dream state always meshed and molded with the visions he summoned to fit whatever they required of him, but never did it stray away from the… simpleness. Even back at the mansion, the most he was able to provide Sapnap in terms of aesthetics was the forest directly outside the Badlands. Yet, there was still the issue of being able to change it in the first place. Usually, it’s all subconscious and unintentional: the way his brain automatically sets the stage with props of reality. </p><p> </p><p>“Clearly not this.” He laughs to himself like it’s the funniest joke he’s ever made. </p><p> </p><p>Dream doesn’t reflect the same sentiment. “Okay…” In fact, his confidence from earlier was clearly diminishing the more this man refused to help him. “If I find a way to change it, will you give me something to work with?” It was worth a shot.<br/><br/>“No.”A poorly misfired shot. “What do you mean by finding a way to change it? Can’t you just change it? I thought you were better than this.” At this point, Dream can’t differentiate the line between pointed jokes and blatant insults, and maybe it was because Dream was exhausted, but he could almost imagine the impatience brewing behind his throat. <br/><br/>“Look, I’m really tired.” He shrugs, shifting his weight. “I’m not entirely sure what you want from me, and if you wouldn’t mind… I have some requests to get through today.” He admits, allowing himself to sink to the floor. As he crossed his legs, the man didn’t move an inch. Dream looked up at his face, slightly annoyed yet curious.</p><p> </p><p>“You take requests here?” There’s a speck of interest in his voice, like it’s something he’s never heard of before.<br/><br/>“...Yes. I’m a Seer…” Dream explains, trying his hardest not to sound too condescending. Safe to say it failed. “I see the future in my dreams… which is why I’m called… Dream…” <br/><br/>“Okay, okay.” The man rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. His movements were blocky as he decided to sink to the ground beside him, his back straightening. “How was I supposed to know that?” <br/><br/>“You can always read my thoughts.” Dream offers, closing his eyes as he tries his hardest to recall the first ever request of the shift. Puffy’s provided him with a new journal to scribble the requests in, but obviously, today he’d been quite sidetracked due to Sapnap and this. <br/><br/>The quip was fast by his side. “I just said I didn’t get your name by digging around your head, idiot.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s surprising.” Dream’s voice has been reduced to that of monotony as his focus delved deeper into his duties. He needed to prioritize his day job, not some side quest Karl had entrusted him with. Unfortunately, the side quest wasn’t exactly something he could ignore, considering the direct and blatant reminder to his left  - Dream hopes he doesn’t nag him for the remainder of his sleep. </p><p> </p><p>“Why’s that surprising? I know how to respect people’s privacy, Dream.” He says, and Dream is almost surprised by the basic human decency he displayed, if he even <em> was </em> a human. <br/><br/>“I thought you’d just continue doing it because… I don’t know. You seem like the type of person to annoy me like that.” <br/><br/>“Annoy you?” Dream can almost hear his jaw drop, the flabbergast audible in his tone. “Forgive me for listening when you acted annoyed by me reading your thoughts then. Didn’t know that was a crime in your eyes.” <br/><br/>“It’s not.” As he finally remembers the requests, he starts his attempt at summoning a vision. He relaxes his body, watching the void grow hazy at the seams. “I really need to focus now, so please…” He hopes his whisper is loud enough to transmit before he breathes out a lengthy exhale. <br/><br/>To Dream’s surprise, the man complies. “Okay.” White noise starts to fill the void, a faint buzz echoing at the back of his mind. Sadly, it doesn’t last long. “Could you-” <br/><br/>“What is it now?” Dream sighs, hoping the annoyance isn’t engraved in his voice. His immersion is ruined, but it’s fine. He has all night. Or until he wakes up. It’s all the same anyways.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry.” Dream listens to the way his voice dips in the middle, like he’s ashamed. As he lets the word sink into the space, there’s a kind of truthfulness that strikes a chord in his mind. His apology seems… genuine. It’s not something he expected… at all. Dream softens. “I was just wondering if you could walk me through it. I’m sorry. It’s just… I’ve never seen a Seer in action before and it seems… sorry, don’t mind me.” Dream opens his eyes momentarily to look to his side. Laying down, his eyes only caught sight of the back of his head. The tufts of brown hair were dark in his shadow, and he looked incredibly… small as he curled into himself. He wasn’t looking at Dream, per se, but a part of Dream wished he would. </p><p> </p><p>Dream weighs the pros and cons of taking time out of his sleep to demonstrate his abilities. The pros would be he’d be able to relax maybe, and talk about something he’s already quite well-versed in. Who knows? Maybe he could build a relationship through this and get closer and be able to gain some trust. If there’s anything Dream’s confident in, it’s that trust always wields results when it comes to an investigation such as this. Yet, then again… he’d lose time. His visions would be delayed, and it’s dangerous <em> not </em>to prioritize his work. He can’t let this side quest act as an obstacle to his weekly way of living. Dream hears a sigh from his side, and he takes a deep breath. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity; it’s not everyday that Dream’s able to have… conscious companions in his own dreams, let alone a vision like he currently was in. </p><p> </p><p>“Fine.” He submits himself to self indulgence, levying himself off the ground. He inputs no effort in correcting his posture, allowing himself to slouch forward. The man beside him froze solid at his motion, his eyes wide as Dream offered up a half smile. “Do you want like… a full explanation? Or do you just want to watch me do it?”<br/><br/>“Um…” The cursed boy tilted his head, the white of his goggles reflecting the moonlight. “Whichever works for you, I suppose.” Dream watches him shrug, and decides to just go for it. </p><p> </p><p>He faces forward, at the empty space and tries to immerse himself once more. This time, he adds commentary over his actions. He informs the man of how he tries to condition himself to summon these visions, because they’re not ones that can come so easily. He talks about the various exercises he occupies himself with before he falls asleep, even though it’s kind of pointless to do so. For this demonstration, he chooses an easy one: a customer asks if they’ll find love in the future. It’s vague enough that any meddling by the customer wouldn’t affect anything, plus it was a fun prompt to work with. After a few more explanations, their surroundings start to melt away and meld with those of… a tundra. Dream tilts his head, puzzled, but his confusion dissolves into nothing as more of his surroundings come into focus. Silhouettes of a market start to line the borders of their space, the void being replaced by a pale white sky. </p><p> </p><p>“We’re in the Wastelands, Dream.” The constellation points out, and Dream notices the way his hands rub up on his arms… almost like he could feel the cold. That’s… odd. Usually, Dream only reacts to the temperature present from where he physically lay. His tent was moderately chilly, but not terribly freezing. </p><p> </p><p>“That we are.” People start to fade into the scene; elves, fairies, magic folk of every kind. The Wastelands weren’t normally this crowded. It’s the Wastelands… nothing happens over there. “Are you cold or something?”<br/><br/>“I told you,” He bites out through chattering teeth, “I’m only able to interact with what you give me. ‘S why I’m so adamant on you changing your whole dreamscape or whatever.” <br/><br/>“Do you…” Dream was lost. This was new terrain regarding his visions, and he wasn’t at all knowledgeable on how to combat this. “...want my cloak or something? I’m not sure how much help it would be.” </p><p> </p><p>“Give it.” The order comes out like a bark, and Dream can tell he’s shivering beside him. Dream blinks, taken aback by the urgency, but wastes no time pulling the forest green cloak off his shoulders and shifting it onto the constellation’s. He gets interrupted midway as the man’s impatience rings through, swatting Dream’s hands away as he tightens the cloak around his body like a blanket. His pale white blouse offered no help to combat the Wastelands chill, but Dream could see the way he shivered a little less as he curled into Dream’s cloak. </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry. This is all new to me, but I hope you’re warm now.” Dream hopes his intent shines through. “Um, as I was saying…” He gulps, running a hand through his hair as he stares at the moving crowd. A quick look down onto his lap served as a reminder on how bare he presented himself. All he wore was the bright yellow shirt from this morning, alongside his dark trousers. His mask was still glued onto his face, thankfully, and it was enough to comfort the ache of awareness even for a little while.</p><p>He returns his focus back on the vision; this time, he explains how he locates his subjects, especially in a crowd like this, and that when he does, it’s all smooth sailing from there. Dream’s sure he’s rambling to him at this point, but the cursed constellation listens with intent, completely enamoured by his words. They find the customer standing in line, smothered by the crowd that surrounded them. It was a woman, and she looked to be in absolute distress. Dream hummed, then demonstrated how he controlled his dreamscape to bring them closer to her.</p><p>The constellation sits and watches the vision warps, noticing how they haven’t made a motion to move, yet they had been transported to the direct middle of the crowd. A gasp of awe is audible by his side, making Dream chuckle. Moving on, he explains to him how he interprets the vision, using context clues and explaining how he could stay and peek for however long he desired, as long as it fulfilled the request. He’s sure his explanations are one thin strand away from utterly boring, but when Dream peeks a glance over his shoulder every now and then, the same wide eyes of pure awe decorate the man’s face with genuine curiosity swirling behind his eyelids. It’s… endearing, to say the least, to have that reassurance. </p><p> </p><p>The vision, on the other hand, is wild. Wild like the woman’s eyes as she scans the crowd. Wild like the worry rising in her chest. Dream could sense her anxiety — it’s reflected by the static haze that grows around the dreamscape’s edges. She holds a novel tight to her chest, nervously chewing on her lip and Dream isn’t quite sure what’s going on at the moment.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think she’s running from someone?” The constellation suggested.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess. Although, I’m not sure how that’d make sense…” <br/><br/>“Look, look.” One, two hasty taps land on his shoulder. “Someone’s coming up to her.” A man of similar stature crept up behind her, but the woman was blissfully unaware as she peeked down to glance at her book. Dream held his breath, unsure if the request would be fulfilled this quick. If what happens is exactly what Dream thinks is going to happen, then the answer to the customer’s request would be a tragic ‘ <em> no’ </em>.</p><p> </p><p>Dream’s almost scared for the customer as he watches the man tap her lightly on the shoulder. Shock blankets her face as she spins around, but a wide smile breaks onto her face at the sight of him. His previously tensed shoulders loosen, and so do the cursed boy’s next to him. The two watch as the couple talk about the weather, and Dream relaxes the more their conversation goes along swimmingly. </p><p> </p><p>“That’s it, then?” The curiosity pipes up from Dream’s side, and Dream purses his lip. “The answer is yes, right?”<br/><br/>“I guess,” Dream shrugs, watching the couple walk off and dissipate into the haze, “but I can’t help but feel it’s too easy. There has to be more to it.” There just has to be. </p><p> </p><p>Fortunately enough, Dream’s intuition was right. The dreamscape before them shifted around, melding like clay as the tundra soon soured into a dark brown. As Dream blinked, he could hear the distant crackle of fire, and sure enough, a fireplace materialized into the scene. He and the constellation were now sitting in front of a fireplace, and as he looked around, it seemed like it was inside a cabin of sorts. Christmas lights decorated the interior, and the windows were frosted over, obscuring his view of the outside world. He was definitely still in the Wastelands, and it couldn’t have been too far of a jump in time from the last time he saw the customer in a crowd. </p><p> </p><p>“Get up.” Dream nodded, beckoning for the boy to stand up as he tried to locate the customer. His eyes scanned the room, but there was nothing. The cabin seemed quiet, with the fire as their only source of entertainment. With the constellation at his side, Dream gestured for him to join in on exploring the surroundings. He offers a brief explanation on why he does this further type of investigation, which is honestly for the sake of accuracy and quality of service, but he hopes the information is appreciated. <br/><br/>Just as they were on their way up off the carpet, the customer and her supposed significant other stepped in. Dream held his breath, even though he was sure they couldn’t see him. <br/><br/>“Isn’t this kind of weird?” A whisper pierces through his ear, breaking the silence.</p><p> </p><p>Dream whips his head to face him, eyes curious. “What?” <br/><br/>“I mean, you’re just watching her.” The man crossed his arms, giving a pointed look to the woman who was carefully pouring tea into a coffee mug. Her hair was frazzled at the ends, and she looked terribly panicked. “It’s kinda weird, isn’t it?” <br/><br/>Dream huffed, instead focusing on the clear effort the customer exerts into preparing the tea. There was a stack of biscuits by the stove, and they looked freshly made. He could put two and two together and realize she was… getting ready to host something. Maybe a get together? Or a private home date? <br/><br/>“You can’t just ignore my question.” The constellation presses on, a snort interrupting his sentence midway. </p><p> </p><p>“I can.” Dream quips. He looks to the door, and spots a clear section of the window pane that allows him to peek outside. In the corner of his eye, he finds an approaching figure walking along the sidewalk, a hopeful yet nervous smile on his lips. This <em> had </em>to be a date. </p><p> </p><p>Dream doesn’t hear any side comments after that, and he decides to continue his investigation within this woman and her newfound relationship. The request still remained unfulfilled; the underlying question of if this was to be her one true love still in the air. Dream sped through the vision, watching the woman fumble over her words as she answered the door, watching the awkwardness that came with new beginnings. As their date went on, Dream could almost envision their relationship as a spark of a rising flame. The same rising flame that sat nestled in the fireplace before them, and it warmed something in Dream’s heart. The dreamscape’s transformations after that were quick, rushed and brief as Dream peered into various time slots of her relationship. There had been several dates after that, and the more he breezed through, the brighter the flame had become.</p><p> </p><p>Essentially, Dream was watching his customer fall in love with a man who could give her everything. The smiles on their faces were evidently beaming, and Dream could almost feel the happiness radiating off of them. The grandiose gestures of romance ranged from flowers, sunsets, and spending the rest of their lives together. Watching the two fall deeper into love sparked up two feelings inside Dream: the lingering ache in his heart as his longing of that kind of connection pierced through his ribs, and the settling guilt at the pit of his gut as he realized what he’d been feeling. The ache wasn’t something he’d think he was able to feel, especially in the dreamscape, but he frowned. With every kiss, hug, and hand hold that Dream witnessed, he couldn’t suppress the burning wish in his throat. Shaking his head, Dream’s eyes darkened. He needed to be professional, and he shouldn’t be letting his own personal feelings get in the way of a request. </p><p> </p><p>Dream balled his fists, a festering sadness burning with every rise of his chest. He guesses the answer to the request was a solid yes, contrary to his own belief. The vision warped back to a wintery forest, with snow atop the pine tree needles. Dream’s gaze fell to his feet, which were buried deep in the snow, yet he felt no cold. He glanced to his side, the guilt worsening as he realized he forgot who his company had been. This vision truly did strike him blindsided. The constellation, on the other hand, stood with wide eyes, still encapsulated by the sheer ability that came with Dream’s visions. </p><p> </p><p>At least one of them was having fun. He sighed, his gaze forlorn as he stared at the frost that blanketed the stretch of nature before them. He noticed nothing of importance, and checked the request off as a ‘yes’. As Dream was about to call it a night and close the vision off, his ears perked up at the sudden jolt of angered screaming. Perplexion decorated both their faces, but it’s the constellation to take the first step running towards the sound. Dream jogs behind, hesitant on how far the boundaries lay within his dreamscape. <br/><br/>“Wait up!” Dream calls out, feeling the cool air hit against his cheeks as he runs. He felt like he made no movements, like he was dragging his feet across the floor with weights tied to his ankles. Running in dreams always felt sluggish which was terribly annoying. <br/><br/></p><p>He stumbles upon a thick brush, with spindly dead branches bristling up against his arms. The constellation stands a few feet away, his posture slouched. Dream parts his lips, his inquiries on their decisions resting at the tip of his tongue, but is quickly sidetracked as he catches sight of the customer and her significant other in an argument so heated he felt the winter around them melt away. <br/><br/>“I can’t do this with you!” The woman’s shrill voice rings through the crisp air. A distant caw of a crow echoes in unison. </p><p> </p><p>“Do what? You’re a <em> coward </em> is what you are.” The customer’s significant other hissed in rebuttal, anger flaming behind his eyes. <br/><br/>“This is what I mean! You don’t care about me, and you-” <br/><br/>“Don’t care about you? I have kept up with you being a <em> frail </em> excuse of a human being for <em> too fucking long.” </em> He barked, making Dream wince. The venom in his syllables were all too purposeful, and Dream couldn’t help but feel he was overstepping some kind of boundary with this one.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re insufferable.” She spat, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I should’ve just left when I had the chance.” Dream couldn’t help but take a step back. “<em> Fuck you. </em>” She cries out, shoving the man out of her way as she storms off. A path of destruction trailed behind her, the trampled snow cradling a bleeding heart. The raging fire they once were became extinguished by reasons unbeknownst to Dream, and now all that was left of them was a blackened crumbly wick, never to be lit again. </p><p> </p><p>The haze of the dreamscape swallowed the man up, leaving Dream and the constellation alone in a wintery wasteland with nothing but the silence and the ruins of a broken relationship. The silence itself was deafening, occasionally being broken up with chirps of birds nestling nearby, and Dream was all too aware of the lack of movement from his side. He felt terrible. That vision was terrible. He just watched one of his customers go through everything they hoped for, only for it to end in complete tragedy. This was definitely not the kind of vision he wanted to use for his demonstration, and a part of him felt the urge to apologize.</p><p> </p><p>So, he does. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m really sorry.” Dream clears his throat, but that doesn’t stop his words from sounding like a croak in the cold silence. </p><p> </p><p>Dream looks over his shoulder, watching the cursed boy turn to face him. He held Dream’s green cloak tightly around his shoulders, and Dream noticed how he quivered underneath from the cold. “Why are you sorry?” The question comes out soft, accompanied by a furrowed brow. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know.” Dream shrugs. “I was hoping I’d get you something more… <em> fulfilling </em> than whatever this fight was.” <br/><br/>“Oh.” His eyes have stayed wide ever since the vision started, and Dream just can’t seem to look away. His eyes aren’t anything spectacular, but he just looks so… innocent when they’re rounded like that. <em> Shit, </em> Dream needs to get a move on. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know. Plus-” The constellation side-steps closer to Dream, bumping their shoulders together acting as his embarrassing attempt to gain warmth. “-sometimes people’s futures aren’t fulfilling.” <br/><br/>Oh, how true that was. This wasn’t the first vision that had a bad ending, so it’s not the fact that this customer was destined for failure that troubled him. Dream sulks anyways. “I guess.” <br/><br/>“How do you tell people the bad news anyways?” He questions. The wind brushes up against the brown locks of his hair, freezing the man temporarily as the sudden wave of frost washed over him. </p><p> </p><p>Dream bites the inside of his cheek. It was a good question, and not stuff he usually likes to think about. It’s never fun to tell someone that they’re not destined for great things. It’s like when a Healer Elf in Perforo has to tell someone their loved one didn’t make it, or when the Knighthood has to write up a list of casualties for each battle. Bad news in any context is always the hardest thing to do, yet it’s part of Dream’s job. “I usually lie. Sometimes I tell them half-truths. If they’re being a real jerk, I tell them the whole truth.” He admits.</p><p> </p><p>“Why would you lie?” Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like an accusation, or like Dream’s being interrogated for a crime. When he’d told his family in Florens of his procedures, they’d frowned in disapproval, claiming to side with honesty. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s hard telling people that they’re never going to have what they want, you know?” He’s already coming up with multitudes of excuses and scenarios he could substitute for the truth when he faces the customer in the morning. </p><p> </p><p>“But, maybe they expect that. Are you going to lie to her tomorrow?” <br/><br/>The answer comes a little too quick. “Probably.”</p><p> </p><p>The silence that follows is a little too loud. </p><p> </p><p>“Personally,” Hesitancy dripped off his vowels, like the constellation was stepping on eggshells, “I think you should tell her what you saw.”<br/><br/>“Tell her the truth that she’s never going to find love?” Dream deadpans.</p><p> </p><p>“No!” A ghost of a smile lurked around the constellation’s lips, and it was then that Dream became too aware of the red flush of his cheeks. The ruthless Wasteland winds nipped at his nose, and at his rounded ears, and he could notice the beginning of frost settling on the lens of his goggles. “It’s just- the way I see it, at least- I just don’t see how <em> one </em> singular vision can speak for someone’s <em> entire </em>future.”</p><p> </p><p>As the words settle into his skin, Dream is already taken aback. “What?”<br/><br/>“Oh my god,” The constellation let out a breathy chuckle, his laughs misting in the frostbitten air, “you… you cannot tell me that you based all of people’s futures on one incident.” <br/><br/>“Okay, but I’ve seen people die.” Dream winced, realizing what he’d just said. Seeing some of your customers die is probably some kind of trauma, but Dream continues on. “Isn’t that a clear indication of what their life could be?” It’s a good argument, although Dream isn’t sure how beneficial it was to bring it up. <br/><br/>“Yeah, but… you’re a <em> Seer </em> . The future’s never set in stone, right? All you see are potential futures that are somewhat <em> highly </em>likely, if you really wanna go there. Seers only see potential futures… they just don’t know how they’re going to get there.” He says it like it’s a common fact. </p><p> </p><p>“...So, what you’re saying is…”<br/><br/>“You should tell her what you saw. That you saw her fall in love, and fall out of love at the same time. Tell her that whatever relationship she tries to pursue with that man you saw her with isn’t going to end well. But, that doesn’t mean every other relationship she has is going to fail.” He brings up a good point, and in Dream’s opinion, it’s the healthiest mindset he’s ever been introduced to in his life. It’s shocking, to say the least.</p><p>He couldn’t believe that this was the same guy who got mad at Dream for being a sloth at reading, or the guy who poked and prodded him in the void of his dreamscape just the week prior. Dream hasn’t looked away from the constellation’s face ever since they started talking, and it’s kind of concerning how much he’s noticed already. The freckles on the boy’s cheeks sparkle under the pale clouded sky, but not as much as they did in their void with the moon shining down on them. Dream doesn’t want to admit it, but he misses the void just for that exact reason. It makes the constellation shine brighter, and he’d do anything to get out of this forest. It’s been tainted with too much heartbreak.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.”<br/><br/>“Woah, no way! Really?” His eyes lit up, an open-mouthed smile breaking on his face. Dream has definitely been staring too long.  “I didn’t think you’d actually agree.” <br/><br/>Dream finds a sudden urge to always agree with him all the time just to solicit this exact reaction. “I mean, it’s worth a shot.” <br/><br/>“You should tell me how it goes!” Dream scans him from head to toe, suddenly then realizing the idiot before him didn’t wear any shoes. Alarmed, he willed for the dreamscape to shift back into the void. If he was the reason a boy in his dreams acquired frostbite and died, he couldn’t live with himself. It’s better to not take any chances. The boy looks down, the goggles nestled in his hair tipping slightly downward. “Oh, thank you for that. My feet were numb for the longest time.”</p><p> </p><p>That earned a chuckle out of Dream. “You’re welcome, idiot. You should’ve reminded me that you were cold.”<br/><br/>“I’m sorry!” A soft laugh rang out in the empty space, making Dream’s insides melt. Receiving the constellation’s kindness was definitely whiplash, but it was also refreshing. Dream couldn’t help but find a type of ease that came with talking with him. Their conversations were lighthearted, for the most part, and Dream could tell that he was genuinely interested in what the vision had to offer — in what <em> he </em> had to offer. It was refreshing. “You just looked so sad from the vision, I didn’t want to bother you with my own inconveniences. Besides, I just <em> feel </em> cold. I can’t necessarily gain harm from it.” <br/><br/>“Yeah, well-” This was a definite change of pace from the snarky nature of last week. “-You should’ve still told me. If you choose to be stuck with me for the night, I don’t want you feeling uncomfortable, you know?” <br/><br/>“ <em> I guess </em>.” The constellation echoes, mocking his accent.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, come on. I don’t speak like that.” Dream swats at the man’s shoulder, trying to distract from the way the dreamscape tore apart at the seams for the void to unravel away and reveal a riverbend that Dream tried to reconstruct from memory. This river was reminiscent of the one near Florens, so naturally sand served as their primary grounding before combining with dewy bristles of soft grass. “Speaking of comfortability, how do you feel about a river? It’s a step up from the emptiness, but I just wanna make sure it’s up to your standard.” Dream allowed for some free reign of his own, keeping the evening atmosphere as the default with a bright full moon stagnant in the sky. <br/><br/>“No way.” The disbelief practically drips off his words, like his breath is caught in his throat. <em> Mission accomplished </em> , Dream supposes. “I can’t believe you got a whole beach for me.” <br/><br/>“Ehh..” Dream looked at the various trees that surrounded them. This was definitely not the beach by any means, but is he going to say that? No. “Sure. We can call this a beach.” <br/><br/>“It’s got sand, doesn’t it?” The cursed boy pushes, scampering his bare feet across the sand, burying his toes in the plain of sand beneath his feet. Dream playfully rolls his eyes, unable to bite back the smile that creeps onto his face. Watching the sheer excitement that emanated from the constellation was infectious. It was childlike in a way, and a thought shoots through his mind. <em> If he truly was cursed, how long had he been cursed for? </em> His smile is short lived as he watches the man freeze momentarily, dipping his head down in shame. A hint of fear pokes at his spine, afraid that he could hear the question scraping his brain. “Dream?” <br/><br/>“Yeah? What’s up?” Dream steps closer.</p><p> </p><p>The constellation is staring up at him, Dream’s cloak loose on his shoulders. “Thank you. For this. For listening to me, and um… the beach.” Looking down made Dream realize how short this boy was compared to Dream. The faint rush of water serves as background noise to his speech, and Dream gulps. “I’ve never seen how a Seer does things before, and I just want to say thanks for taking time out of your day… or night, I guess, for showing me how you do it.”<br/><br/>“It’s really no problem, actually. I found it fun.” Dream admits, admiring the way the moonlight reflects off the freckles of his cheeks. They were very resemblant of stars, and if this boy was mistaken for a constellation, then his freckles surely were behind it.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.” He nods in agreement, eyes flicking up and down. Dream hopes it’s the trick of the moonlight. “I really do mean it when I said you were tolerable than most, even more now that you shared this part of yourself with me.”<br/><br/></p><p>Dream opens his mouth to speak, but immediately clamps down on his tongue as the stress dawns onto his back with the rising sun. He doesn’t know how long he spent with that one singular vision, but he knows he’s still got quite a lot to burn through. The lingering deadline of these requests hung around his head like a tumour waiting to go out of control. <br/><br/>Fortunately, the constellation can sense the rising tension in his shoulders, and offers a polite nod. “I’m sorry for taking up most of your time. I’ll leave you to it then?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m going to have to speed through them, but yeah. I guess you will.”<br/><br/>The dreamscape’s colours start to fade away, the river draining into the ground. “I’ll be back tomorrow night if you’d like.” The man offers, and Dream agrees wholeheartedly. <br/><br/>“Tomorrow works for me. I won’t have requests by then, so-”</p><p> </p><p>“Cool.” The sand blows away from a gust of wind, revealing the void from underneath. The constellation starts to fade away with the forest around them. “Goodnight, Dream.” <br/><br/>“Goodnight-” Before he can get a goodbye in, the dreamscape whisks the constellation away. He dissipated into the air like smoke, mixing with the sand and the thin blades of grass, allowing virtually no time for any backsay. Dream combs a hand through his hair, shaking his head as he willed himself to gain some kind of focus back. Dream sighed. <em> What the hell am I doing? </em></p><p> </p><p>♘</p><p> </p><p>Dream needed to find out the constellation’s name. He awoke in the late afternoon, delaying the inevitability of his wake by a mere few hours as he tried to finish up the rest of his requests. Yet, as his eyes shot open, that thought circled his brain like an unrelenting itch. <br/><br/>“Good morning.” Sapnap’s greeting is muffled, and Dream looks up from the carpet to find him munching on a doner kebab. “Puffy came in and got us breakfast. I left you some.” Dream hummed in thanks, closing his eyes as he sank back into the carpet. He really didn’t want to get up, but he knows he needs to. He’s got a whole day ahead of them, and he needed to go along to the library as Sapnap’s emotional support. Sapnap seemed aware of this fact, impatience shown through a faint grumbling, and Dream could hear footsteps approaching him before he feels a strong force carve into his side. </p><p> </p><p>“What the hell?” He yelps, mind completely awake as he registers the fact that Sapnap just kicked him awake. <br/><br/>“I said <em> good morning, </em> you bitch.” Sapnap rolled his eyes, holding out a kebab. Dream squinted his eyes, but gladly took the kebab from his hand and took tentative bites as he rose from the floor. </p><p> </p><p>“Good morning, Sapnap.” Dream murmured through mouthfuls of salad, stretching his limbs in an attempt to wake the rest of his body up. Sapnap started blabbing on how Dream had slept in too late this time, and that he was this close to pearling to Bad in case he’d fallen into a coma. Dream laughed at that, walking around the tent, freshening himself up before he was scheduled to open for business. His ears could pick up on the crowd that was gathering outside his tent, and he knew he needed to hurry things up. He asked for Sapnap’s help in making himself look presentable, which wasn’t ideal but it worked either way.</p><p> </p><p>Soon enough, Dream had pulled on a white short-sleeved button-up shirt, threw his cloak over his back, pulled his hood up and with his mask secured across his face, he was ready. Sapnap gestured a thumbs up, allowing for the line to file into the tent. Dream sped through the requests, giving vague details and answering questions where the customers deemed fit, until he reached the girl from his vision last night with the constellation. </p><p> </p><p>She wore the same unease from the vision. Dream could tell from her stiff shoulders and ever present frown, and he could tell she was scared. Like she was afraid of the news herself, and Dream couldn’t help but frown in return.<br/><br/>Dream clears his throat, looking down at his journal. He verified her identity, and tried his hardest to follow the advice bestowed upon him from the night before. “You asked if you were going to find love, but the vision I got was… you did find love.” Relief seemed to sag her entire body, but Dream refused to falter. “You found love in the Wastelands,” He explains how the man looked, down to every single detail of their relationship, but when he’s close to the conclusion, his throat closes up, “Um, you… you guys had this fight. You stormed off. The vision ends.” <br/><br/>Silence seemed to plague their tent. Dream’s almost thankful Sapnap’s waiting outside chatting with the remaining customers, providing a show because he doesn’t think anyone should bask in the disappointment the customer radiated in this exact moment. </p><p> </p><p>“So, that’s it?” She whimpers, her voice meek. “I’ll fall in love but it falls apart?”</p><p> </p><p>Dream wants to agree, and say that the vision never lies, but he’s reminded of the mindset the constellation adopted. He clenches his jaw, trying his hardest to remember his exact words as he explains. “Yes, but the way I see it…” Healthier mindset, Dream. Choose the healthier mindset. “...you found love, but not with that guy. Think of it this way- now you know to stay away from that and save yourself from heartbreak, but just because things don’t work out there doesn’t mean it won’t ever work out anywhere else.”</p><p> </p><p>The girl looks at Dream like she just learned the secrets to the universe, and Dream prays a silent thanks towards the constellation in his mind, hoping that wherever he is, he could feel it.</p><p> </p><p>♘</p><p> </p><p>The remaining requests were dealt with slowly but surely, and Sapnap and Dream were thankfully able to wrap things up before night fell. They still had to trek towards the library where Karl resided, and Dream needed to check up on the Badlands and how they’ve been. He’d asked Sapnap if any letters had come in alongside Puffy’s food delivery, but Sapnap simply shook his head. Dream tried his hardest not to feel annoyed. </p><p> </p><p>Quickly, he scribbles down a letter and settles it aside for Puffy’s next visit. He tells Bad about his predicament with the constellation, and Sapnap’s theory on chameleon curses. He hasn’t told Sapnap any of this for some reason, mainly because he doesn’t find any importance in doing so. All he did was just show the allegedly cursed boy the ropes of Dream’s ability to see into the future, so really… was there any benefit in telling Sapnap?</p><p> </p><p>Dream digresses. He’s getting off track, and he needs to send this letter. If Bad doesn’t respond in the next twenty four hours, then he’s going to have to journey all the way to Badlands himself and he really doesn’t wanna do that. Dream can feel the progress he’s making, and with the experience he’d had last night, he definitely felt something shift between them. He didn’t know what, but now he knows that the constellation is more receptive in a sense. </p><p> </p><p>The charcoal of his pencil smudges the page, signifying the letter’s end. Dream huffs, folding it into a neat square. Sapnap was picking his teeth trying to pass time, but Dream could tell he was nervous. This would be the first time that Sapnap had returned to the library ever since his meltdown from a week ago, and it’s safe to say that he’s not entirely up for it. Sapnap was never the one to cry in public, and with the Knighthood, his dignity’s a fragile thing. So, really, one can only imagine how severe of a blow it is to share that vulnerability when you’ve almost lost everything. </p><p> </p><p>Sapnap’s eyes are dark but lazy, like he’s trying to avoid focusing on anything for too long. Dream rolls his eyes playfully, nudging Sapnap’s elbow. “Chill out, Sapnap. I’m right with you. Do you want me to do all the talking?”<br/><br/>“Huh?” Sapnap tenses momentarily, snapping out of his thoughts. His shoulders sag as he tries to recollect Dream’s recent words. “Oh. To Karl?” Dream ignores the way his voice cracks when saying his name. “Um, sure. What are we gonna go there for anyways?” <br/><br/>The letter is tucked away by the entrance where Puffy can see it, and Dream slips his hand into the pockets of his trousers as he hums. “To research on chameleon curses. I asked the dude about it last night and he confirmed it. He thought I was incompetent for needing your help though.” Dream lets out a chuckle at that.</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap does not. “What?” In fact, he doesn’t find it funny like Dream does. “From what you’ve told me so far, he sounds like an ass.” <br/><br/>Yet, then again… Sapnap isn’t the one visiting his dreamscape, is he? “He is.” Dream smiles, poking his head out of the tent entrance to glance at the weather. “At least it’s not boring though.” The sky was a dimly lit orange, and the usual bustle of the village fell to a quiet murmur as the sun set. It wasn’t too terribly windy, so all in all, it was perfect weather for a walk.</p><p> </p><p>The two saunter out onto the street; Sapnap drags his feet across the cobblestone. Their postures are low, as to not attract any attention, and their words are quiet. Villagers scurry around, either heading home or lugging around objects of labour after a hard day’s work. Elves with lumber, sacks and wagons passed by them, mumbling an ‘excuse me’ as they bumped shoulders. The walk towards the library is serene, almost peaceful, but daunting at the same time. </p><p> </p><p>Dream tries to fill the silence. “Do you think Karl knows about the chameleon curses?”</p><p> </p><p>Sapnap’s hands are behind his head, which is tipped back to gaze at the darkening sky. “Probably.”<br/><br/>Lame. “I hope so.” Dream continues, his eyes joining Sapnap’s as they decide to graze the sky. “It would make sense, wouldn’t it? His memory thing sounds like a curse, and if that man is cursed as well, then saving him would be able to undo Karl’s curse too. If we use that logic, that is.” <br/><br/>Sapnap offers a muted grunt of acknowledgement, refusing to hurl out genuine words. Dream frowns slightly. <em> It’s best not to push this, </em>he thinks. So, he doesn’t. The rest of the walk is uneventful, with night falling and the two walking across tall grass. The thick brush tickled Dream’s legs as they waded their way towards the library. Sapnap didn’t comment the rest of the way there, and he remained silent as they approached the open entrance. </p><p> </p><p>Through the windows, an orange glow emitted from the library from the lanterns. Dream could feel Sapnap tense beside him. Karl was here. </p><p> </p><p>Dream tapped Sapnap’s shoulder lightly, genuinity in his eyes. “I’ll talk to him. You go find the books.”<br/><br/>Sapnap offered a tight nod. Nothing more, nothing less. Dream didn’t expect anything other than. They stepped into the library and the waft of books hit Dream’s nose through his mask, an aura of homeliness seeping into his bones. The evening outside only added to the atmosphere as Dream scanned his surroundings. The library was quiet for the most part, the silence only broken once or twice by the wind blowing against the glass windows. The two navigated their way to the back, Sapnap diverting his attention solely on the books nestled in the shelves. Luckily for them, the mythology section and the dark magic section were relatively close to each other, but unluckily for Sapnap, it was just a few steps away from Karl’s chamber. Or, what used to be <em> their </em>chamber. </p><p> </p><p>Sapnap pulled out a thickly binded book that looked absolutely worn on the edges before dropping it onto the nearest table. Dream followed behind, inspecting the content that the book had to offer. The title read ‘An Introduction to Curses’, but the lettering looked grimy and desaturated, like it had lost its flair and colour over the years. They took their time flipping through the pages, although Sapnap insisted that they skim the entirety of it until they stumbled upon chameleon curses. Dream refused, instead deciding to waste their time reading up on the different curses the book had knowledge of. His excuse was that maybe there would be a curse directly related to Karl’s memory, although it was highly unlikely.</p><p> </p><p>What was worse was the fact that this book was hardcore even for them. The curses the book had talked about were the terrible ones that could get you executed, or sentenced to a life behind prison. If Sam ever stumbled upon this book, or anyone who acted out the deeds from it, for that matter, Dream’s sure the prison would find some new inhabitants. The first half of the book dealt with curses that could kill someone, or permanently render someone immobile for the rest of their life, or slip someone into a coma, or even banish them to an unknown realm where magicfolk couldn’t trespass upon. </p><p> </p><p>“Sapnap, wait.” Dream blinked, flipping back to the page that revolved around the latter curse. A curse where you could banish someone to an unknown realm seemed like they were on the right track, but would his dreamscape be considered a realm? <em> Never mind </em>, Dream sighs, running a hand through his hair.</p><p> </p><p>“Sapnap?” A voice crawls from behind, and Sapnap jumps. Dream whips his head to look over his shoulder, and Dream relaxes. Standing behind a bookshelf was a very timid Karl, with his eyebrows upturned and a frown present on his face. <br/><br/>“Karl.” The monotony in his voice was forced, like Sapnap was willing himself to stay strong. A pang of guilt shot through Dream’s ribs. <br/><br/>In an impulsive attempt to shove it down, Dream piped up, brandishing a smile across his face even though his mask concealed it. “Karl! Fancy seeing you here.” <br/><br/>Karl scratched the back of his head. “I… live here?” Sapnap elbowed Dream’s side with a harsh jab. Dream pursed his lips. That was well deserved.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s convenient because I actually need to ask you something!” Dream shot a stern look in Sapnap’s direction, commanding him to continue reading up on the curses. If Sapnap understood, he didn’t give any indication of doing so. </p><p> </p><p>“Okay…” Karl bit his lip, his eyes focused past Dream, over his shoulder and onto Sapnap. “I was actually going to t… Never mind. What do you need?”<br/><br/>Dream rushed to his side, gesturing over to Karl’s chambers. “Let’s talk in the chamber. It’s actually a private matter about… the note you told me about.” Confusion decorated Karl’s face, but he went along with it. Before heading to the chambers, Dream peeked over his shoulder, just to check up on Sapnap. Sapnap had buried himself within the book, his eyes lazily skimming over the words. He’s definitely going to have to step things up if he doesn’t wanna keep redirecting Karl away from Sapnap’s proximity.</p><p> </p><p>As Dream enters, Karl hands him another piece of paper. “Hey Dream. What did you wanna talk to me about?” Dream glances down at the page, only to find it riddled with ominous symbols. It’s got to be some kind of derivative of the ancient language, but he couldn’t quite string the words together on the fly. <br/><br/>“What did you just hand me?” Dream questions, eyes fixed on the page.</p><p> </p><p>“It said ‘hand to Dream’ on the back, so I thought now would be a good time.” Karl shrugs. Dream flips the page over, and sure enough, the message was written in black bold ink. “I can’t remember what it’s for, but it’s supposed to be… an incantation? I think?”<br/><br/>The message did seem to have some kind of repetition between the lines. Dream pockets it into his trousers, hoping it would serve as useful in the later stages of their investigation. “Thank you, Karl-” Dream bows his head momentarily, but Karl cuts in quickly, sputtering. <br/><br/>“Um, is Sapnap okay?” Karl tilts his head, nodding towards the door. “He hasn’t come in a week and I was hoping I’d be able to talk to him.” <br/><br/>“Why?” <br/><br/>Guilt pools behind Karl’s eyelids, his pupils visibly darkening. “To apologize, I guess. I was going to try and find him, but I forgot how to find him. The only thing I remember is this library, and my name, and that’s about it.” Karl’s breath is getting heavier, like he’s trying to keep his breathing steady but failing miserably as he continues to speak. “And, I don’t know. He got so mad at me for not remembering, and I feel terrible. I just… I need something to help me remember and I- I’m sorry. Is he okay?” <br/><br/>Watching Karl on the verge of tears is painful, and Dream doesn’t know if he can comfort two different friends in the span of one week. But, he tries anyway to be as comforting as possible. “He’s… holding up.” That’s when Dream gets a semi-bright idea. “If you want, I could ask him to talk to you right here and now?” It completely went against what they agreed on upon arriving here, but maybe having them deal with the issue outright would do more good than harm in this case. </p><p> </p><p>Plus, Dream isn’t too confident in Sapnap’s skill of research. </p><p> </p><p>“Um, okay.” Karl stammers, but Dream’s thankful at how his body language relaxes. “That’s good. Fine with me, actually.”</p><p> </p><p>“Great.” Dream nods, making his way out of the chambers. He’s aware he came in with the mission of grilling Karl on what he knew about the constellation, or more specifically, curses, but considering how iffy he felt with his own memories, it’d be better to do him this service. In any case, Dream conjured a baseless theory that if Sapnap helped Karl remember some things, then Karl would be able to remember things relating to the investigation. There was nothing he could use to back up his claims, but Dream sears the mentality to the back of his mind as he heads out. </p><p> </p><p>Sapnap doesn’t look up from the book, but Dream could tell he hadn’t made any progress from the last time he’d checked. Looming over Sapnap’s shoulder, Dream could see that the page he was currently ‘reading’ was the one that they’d already read. Dream rolls his eyes, clearing his throat. </p><p> </p><p>“I was reading, Dream.” Sapnap protests, his eyes narrowing as he looks up to face him. </p><p> </p><p>“Sure, you were.” Dream gives a pointed look, but points towards Karl’s chambers. “Karl wants to talk to you.”<br/><br/>Sapnap immediately looks back down, flipping through the pages. “No, he doesn’t.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yes-” Dream shuts the book closed. “-he does.”</p><p> </p><p>“Dream, we had a deal...” Sapnap groaned, dropping his head into his hands almost comically. “Does he actually?”<br/><br/>“Talk to him. It’ll do you both some good.” Dream slips the book from under Sapnap’s figure, tucking it between his elbow and his torso. “This is punishment for not making any progress in the past few minutes.” <br/><br/>“You’re an ass.” Sapnap groused, his face grim. Dream could tell he was scared, but babies need to learn to swim somehow, or whatever that analogy is. <em> More like throwing him to the sharks </em>, a sneer echoes in his mind; Dream ignores it.</p><p> </p><p>Dream sends Sapnap off with a tight “Good luck.” before sitting himself down onto the table and getting comfortable. The sound of Sapnap’s footsteps fade into nothing as he enters the chamber, and Dream can hear a distinct muffling from within the walls. At that, he plops the book onto the desk and redirects his focus onto where he last left off.</p><p> </p><p>There was not much to report after that; the library was as peaceful as ever, and the lanterns around offered enough lighting to get his work done. If he was being honest, it also served to make him drowsy. The orange glow reminded him of his tent, reminded him of his attic in Florens. It reminded him of the same orange glow before he would be able to be transported into chapters of people’s lives, a bystander among their pages. Dream shakes his head in an attempt to wake himself up. He needed to stay focused, but unfortunately, the book wouldn’t allow for that to happen. It was boring, to say the least. After Dream got past all the blood and gore of the first half of the curses, he went on towards the boring curses that only served to slightly inconvenience an individual, like making an object invisible for a minute or two, or even… memory loss? <br/><br/>Dream does a double take. He thinks he’s made a breakthrough, until the curse proved to be underwhelming at best. This kind of curse served to instill an aura of uncertainty, filling the individual with a dazed mindset, but the book had to legally clarify that no memories were erased in the process. Instead, the curse served to act as a memory loss curse without actually removing the curse. Dream snorts to himself, feeling the self deprivation set in as he jokes to himself, <em> It almost sounds like a chameleon curse. </em> </p><p> </p><p>Wait.</p><p> </p><p>But, it’s already too late. Before he could become aware of his breakthrough, he’d already drifted off into a deep sleep.</p><p> </p><p>♘</p><p> </p><p><em> Fuck </em>, Dream curses to himself. He frantically chants the sentence in his mind in hopes he’d remember when he awoke. His eyes are clenched shut, and the only thing he hears in his dreamscape is himself muttering the same seven words over and over.</p><p> </p><p>That is, until a voice erupts from in front of him. “So, what did she say?” </p><p> </p><p>Dream opens his eyes. They’re back at the riverbend, and the constellation is standing directly in front of him with a slack posture about his shoulders. Dream couldn’t ignore the forest green that still happened to be draped over his shoulders, engulfing his figure. He didn’t even know that was possible in this. </p><p> </p><p>The only difference in the man in front of him was the fact that the goggles that usually resided in his hair were now over his eyes, bright white rims reflecting the moonlight with the blackened lenses masking the eyes underneath. The goggles itself cast a shadow upon his face, falling directly onto the side of the man’s face that so happened to coincidentally be sprinkled with freckles that glowed. </p><p> </p><p>Dream wonders what brought this change of scenery on. “You’ve got the goggles on.” He points out, watching the constellation’s thin-lipped features refusing to budge. “Any special occasion?”<br/><br/>“Not really.” His voice was cold, but not the type that would ice over oceans, but rather the sad kind of cold that came with rainy weather. A muted kind of cold that you only felt if you were looking for it, and Dream found himself to be looking for it. “Just thought I’d put it on.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s cool, I guess?” Dream tries to spark up a seemingly aimless conversation. He’s already come up with a plan on how the conversation was going to go, and then he’d be able to ask about what he needed to find regarding curses, if that was information the constellation was willing to give up. “Might not be an everyday look though.”</p><p> </p><p>“...Why not?” It sounded accusatory. Dream had meant it as a joke, but he could sense a rising hostility within the man in front of him. “What if this was me trying out something new and you decide to shit on it? What if this was something I was proud of, Dream?” </p><p> </p><p>Dream threw up his hands in defense. “<em> Woah, woah, woah. </em> I’m sorry.” He squeaked, eyes wide behind his own mask. The constellation rolls his eyes, and Dream drops his hands down to his sides. Clearing his throat, he shrugs. “I’m sorry. I was joking. Do whatever you want with the goggles.”</p><p> </p><p>“You better be.” <em> Okay, </em> Dream is confused, <em> who shoved a stick up his ass? And, why is he taking it out on me </em>? Dream scratches his head, letting out a whistle as he looks at the trees that surrounded them. “You never answered my question by the way.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Dream stills, skimming through the events of the past two minutes before realizing the constellation had asked about the customer from the night before. “Oh.” Right, of course he’d want to know about that. Dream supposes he can derail from his plan a bit to account for this. </p><p> </p><p>He starts off by saying that the woman was disappointed - like he’d expected - but then admitted to reciting the constellation’s words back to her, which made her melt into a puddle of appreciation and relief. The constellation seemed to smile at that, the edge of a smirk blooming on his cheek.</p><p> </p><p>“So, yeah, you really saved me back there.” Dream jokes, his eyes falling onto the riverbank beside them. “I always thought that visions were defined, unchanging, but the way you put it is more… hopeful, I guess.”<br/><br/>“It doesn’t hurt to be hopeful once in a while.” The constellation sighs. “I know all magicfolk and humans alike rely on hope. Everyone does. Consider it a favour on my part.” He looks over his shoulder. “Now you’re able to do your job a little better.” <br/><br/>“Now,” Dream furrows his brows, grinning, “don’t get too cocky now. It’s a better way of interpreting futures, that’s for sure. Especially with something as trivial as love.” </p><p> </p><p>“You think love is trivial?” Again, that tinge of pointed accusation is laced within his vowels.</p><p> </p><p>“Well-” Dream found himself to be at a loss for words. What kind of question was that? A hard one, apparently. “To me, at least.” That was a lie; the quiet ache in Dream’s ribs that has been going on for a while begs to differ. It was complicated honestly. Dream wanted to experience that, to have someone be there for him, but he wasn’t sure if he’d ever have time to be able to <em> have </em>that. </p><p> </p><p>“Why?” </p><p> </p><p>Is he really going to do this right now? “Because-” Apparently so. “I’ve got friends in Perforo, and I’ve got family in Florens. I have my job, and I work even in my sleep, so I rarely have time…” <em> For myself </em>, goes unsaid. “...to find someone. Doesn’t really cross my mind, really.” Another lie. </p><p> </p><p>“That’s understandable.” The man beside him gulps, visibly frowning. “I don’t know what love is.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Oh </em>. Dream wasn’t expecting that. He wasn’t expecting him to say it so nonchalantly either, like it was a regular thing to admit. He tries to sympathize, because if he really was cursed, then he’s got to have some kind of sob story behind him. Not knowing love could be exactly that. “I don’t think I have a total grasp on it myself.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then, how can you know if it’s trivial for you?” The constellation crouched down, outstretching an arm to reach into the rushing water. It was then that Dream noticed the bandages wrapped around his hand. </p><p> </p><p>“Um, well, I-” He stammers, blinking rapidly as he tries to get back to the conversation. Was that bandage always there? He hopes so, because if he managed to get hurt in someone else’s dreamscape, then he’d have another problem on his hands. He tries to suppress the concern pooling in his gut. “Well, I lied. I <em> do </em> know what love is, somewhat. I see it with Karl and Sapnap, and obviously my parents. I just have no reason to be actively searching for it right now.” <br/><br/>His hand falls limp in the water. “You could find a reason soon, if not now.”</p><p> </p><p>“Definitely not now.” Dream lets out a wholehearted laugh, even though there was nothing really funny about being lonely. “But, soon. Maybe. Who knows.”<br/><br/>“Who knows indeed.” The constellation sighs, exhaustion tugging at his posture. Dream squats down until he’s sitting cross legged beside the man, both of them gazing into the stream that passed along. “The future’s uncertain, and things can change in an instant. That’s why hope is so precious to people, Dream,” </p><p> </p><p>Dream straightens his posture, but listens with intent. “Hope is a dangerous thing too, if you’re not too careful with it. Sometimes the right amount is enough to serve as motivation, but too much is just pointless. Then again, too little makes everyone miserable. It’s kind of stupid really.” </p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t entirely sure where this inner monologue stemmed from, but Dream stayed silent, offering an open ear as the constellation continued on. “If I’m being honest, Dream… I was selfish last night. I don’t know much about love but I was told that love wasn’t something you just give up on. You were so ready to destroy that hope, and I felt like stepping in, I don’t know. Call it a saviour complex or whatever.” Dream snorts. “All jokes aside, even without me in the picture… isn’t it better to stay hopeful for that? People like that woman deserve a happy ending anyways, even if it’s not with that person you see them with. Even you. If there’s anything I’m aware of from the past few times I’ve visited you, it’s your <em> obnoxious </em> desire to be loved.” <br/><br/>Dream feels like he’d been caught in the midst of a crime, but considering how the cursed boy was able to read his thoughts, he should’ve seen this coming.</p><p> </p><p>“You say you don’t have time for that, but to me it sounds like you’ve given up and used that as an excuse. It’s like what we established: the future's uncertain, don’t give up because of it. So, stay hopeful for that, Dream. That’s all I wanted to say.” </p><p> </p><p>Dream blinks, taken aback. That… was not what he was expecting. Actually, he wasn’t expecting anything of that, or for the constellation to have a whole inspirational and heartfelt tangent regarding Dream’s long time running ache for a significant other. It’s… endearing, but also kind of embarrassing? Dream doesn’t know what to feel, so instead he decides to keep up the facade of a lighthearted conversation. </p><p><br/>“Wow.” Dream chuckles, nudging the boy with his elbow. “Are you always this nice?” <br/><br/>The constellation rolls his eyes. “Don’t get used to it.” <br/><br/>“Aw,” Dream lifts a hand to dramatically clutch at his heart, frowning under his mask, “But, I like when you’re nice.” <br/><br/>He watches how the constellation’s face lightens up at his admission, and Dream’s breath hitches. “...You do?” </p><p> </p><p>Dream offers a tight nod. It was then that the man decided to pull up the goggles, placing it back where Dream preferred it. The freckles on his cheek soon shone under the moonlight like they were part of the evening sky themselves, and Dream could feel the wind get knocked out of him. </p><p> </p><p>“Fine.” The giggle he lets out could send Dream to the moon. There has to be something wrong with him. </p><p> </p><p>“Fine… what?” Dream prods.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll start being nice to you, I suppose.” He shrugs, his lips offering a slight pout. </p><p> </p><p>Dream softens beside him, a smile breaking across his face. “...Great.”</p><p> </p><p>♘</p><p> </p><p>Dream awoke with his face buried in the novel from the night before, a stickiness clinging to the side of his face. He glanced down only to find a dried puddle of drool that had already soaked its way through the pages. Dream recoils, grunting as he realizes he’s going to have to fix that himself. It’s fine — he can just ask Bad or Skeppy to cast some magic onto it or something.</p><p> </p><p>He stretches his limbs, waking himself up as he tries to recall everything from his dream. He’d met the constellation, but he didn’t remember much after he’d given that speech. Dream’s somewhat disappointed that he didn’t get to where he needed to; he truly was convinced he’d be able to interrogate and receive answers that would further his breakthroughs. Sadly, it was another dead end, another missed opportunity. </p><p> </p><p>His head was pounding, and with how dim it looked outside, he could tell it was way too early to be awake. While Dream was asleep, the lanterns had died out and someone had taken it upon themselves to open up the windows. A few birds could be heard chirping from outside, the cool morning breeze entering the library like a welcomed guest. </p><p> </p><p>Dream got up out of his seat, knocking on the door to Karl’s chambers in case Karl was asleep, in search of Sapnap. He doesn’t know where the hell that guy goes off to; disappearing seems to be his best coping mechanism at this point. No answer is indicated from within the chamber, so Dream tries again. Nothing. Another knock. Silence. Dream creaks the door open, finding it to be unlocked. To no avail, Sapnap is nowhere to be seen, and neither is Karl for some reason. The bed is neatly made, and it doesn’t look any different from when he’d entered the night prior. </p><p> </p><p>Confusion decorates his features. Dream could come up with theories on where they’d disappeared off to, but he’s still too dazed from waking up to do so. Instead, he slugs back to the desk, deciding to continue his research on chameleon curses. What he’d deduced was the fact that chameleon curses weren’t anything too specific, because the entire term was vague to begin with. Dream pressed a fist into his cheek as he rested his elbow on the surface of the desk. This was going to be more time consuming than he expected, but it’s fine. </p><p> </p><p>While he waits for Sapnap to come back, Dream has no other choice but to think of the constellation. He is the key to retrieving Karl’s memories, yet Dream can’t help but feel like he’s running down a dead end street. To start off the list, all he knows is that either this guy’s a constellation, or cursed. There’s really no in between. Another, is that Dream doesn’t seem to know anything about him besides that. The constellation is stubborn when it comes to revealing information about himself, and won’t even tell Dream his name. </p><p> </p><p>“Dream? Hello?” A female voice rings out through the library, resembling closely to a bleat. Dream’s ears perked up, shooting up from his chair as he walked towards the entrance. Standing by the tall grass was none other than Puffy, swinging a picnic basket with her weight and cradling a letter between her fingers. </p><p> </p><p>“Puffy? What are you doing here?” Dream approaches her, gently taking the picnic basket from her grasp. He peers inside, finding even <em> more </em>salad… Great. “How’d you know where to find me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sapnap and his friend were in town and they said you’d be here.” Guess that answers his worries from earlier. “They told me you would be asleep, but I told them it was fine. Um, it’s actually an emergency letter. Bad, whoever you’re messaging, told me it was urgent so I had no choice but to hand deliver it here myself.”<br/><br/>Dream’s eyes widened. The Badlands finally got his letter, it seemed. Puffy handed the letter over to him, wishing Dream would enjoy his meal before skittering off back to Perforo. Dream looked down at the letter, unfolding the paper and skimming the red ink that had been scrawled underneath. </p><p> </p><p>He sighed. Bad had asked him to do a side quest of sorts, asking to research something pertaining to their current dilemma. They seemed to be quite preoccupied with saving a kingdom or something — either way, it was definitely out of Dream’s skillset. </p><p> </p><p>He walked over to the kingdom section near the front, filing through the books in attempts to locate the book they’d needed. Once he caught sight of ‘<em> The Curious Case of… </em> ’ he raised his eyebrows. The book itself was huge, almost bigger than that of ‘ <em> The Lost Constellation’ </em>, Dream points out. It’s way heavier too, but history books tend to usually be like that.</p><p> </p><p>Bad actually wanted Dream to find it and just send it over by mail, but he’s got nothing to do. <em> It’s a good way to kill time, </em>Dream thinks, so he decides to delve into it. He doesn’t feel like doing aimless research until Sapnap returns. He’ll just read up on a few pages from the recent years and then he’ll be on his way towards Puffy’s postal office. </p><p> </p><p>The kingdom had humble beginnings, Dream reads. The royalties’ ancestors were pacifists, staying out of the wars that happened on the Mainland where Perforo and Florens were. They seemed to stay that way for a while, maintaining a peaceful life until… the recent years. Dream skimmed everything between the beginning and the recent additions, but even then he could tell something shifted between its history. Almost a couple of decades ago, the kingdom had gone completely bankrupt and had no choice but to marry into a neighbouring kingdom to ensure wealth and prosperity for the kingdom. Unfortunately, the kingdom they’d married into just so happened to be one that looked awfully sinister based on the pictures Dream was looking at. They’d looked grey, and worn around the edges, like an evil spirit had sucked the life out of them. It made Dream shudder. </p><p> </p><p>This kingdom’s history only seemed to get worse, and Dream found it hard to look away. Learning about history was interesting only if he was able to get invested, and right now, he was way too invested to stop reading. The marriage didn’t do them any good, as they failed to conceive a child that would carry on the family name. It didn’t help that the kingdom fell into an economic depression and famine soon after. People’s faith in the monarchy seemed to dwindle, and they required an heir that would serve as a beacon of hope for them all.</p><p> </p><p>That’s when by some kind of miracle, they had birthed a son but at what cost? Dream reads on; the book reveals that hearsay states that the family had formulated a deal between demons due to the opposing family’s iffy past. A few years after the heir had been born, the parents had died of a mysterious attack, leaving the child with nothing but their crumbling kingdom. On the next page were two pictures: one was a map that looked absolutely torn and undecipherable, while the other had been a full family portrait, seemingly before tragedy struck. The passage continues onwards: <em> Now, with their sole heir, the Notfond lineage is at risk of extinction. </em> Dream flipped the page over, coming into contact with a picture portrait from the chest up.</p><p> </p><p>Dream’s throat went dry. The faded picture depicted a prince, the sole prince of the Notfond lineage. He looked young, and the picture couldn’t have been more than a few years old. What really shocked Dream to the core though, was who the prince was. He couldn’t believe it. In the picture, the prince stood tall with an expressionless face, brandishing features of dark brown hair, faint freckles sprinkled upon one cheek and, where a crown had been destined to lay, round white goggles with black lenses.</p><p> </p><p>♘</p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> To Dream,  </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> I’m very sorry for the delayed reply. I’ll send you a separate letter addressing your previous letters. I’m going to need a favour from you, Dream.  </em>
  </p>
  <p><em> The reason we’ve been away is because we’ve been assigned a huge mission from a neighbouring kingdom that’s gone to absolute </em> <em><strike> shit</strike> </em> <em> muffins. </em> <em><strike> He means shit</strike> </em> <em> . That was Skeppy. This kingdom is up North, across the ocean near Nemuri.  </em></p>
  <p><em> They require magic to help rebuild some things, as well as Ant’s healing potions. They’re in a terrible state. </em> <strike><em> They lost their monarch or something. </em></strike> <em> Skeppy again. We were on our way there, but they’re protected with some kind of magic. A kind of magic that we can’t get through.  </em></p>
  <p><em> We asked the guards about it, and they said we needed to learn more about their history because there was not much they could say. Not sure if it’s the magic or if it’s them being muffins. </em> <strike><em> Just say dicks. </em></strike> <em> Skeppy keeps enchanting words to show up on the page, my apologies.  </em></p>
  <p>
    <em> That’s where you come in. Our library actually doesn’t have the history books pertaining to their kingdom. Karl’s library is the most advanced that’s in close proximity to the Badlands, and I know that they have it, and I’m going to need you to read up on something for us.  </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> I understand you’re busy reading up on Karl and finding a way to fix things, so if you truly don’t have time, just ask Puffy to deliver it to us. Thank you, Dream! </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> We hope you’re well, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Get back soon, </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em> Signed, The Badlands </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> P. S. </em>
  </p>
  <p><em> Can’t believe Bad forgot to tell you what book it is. Look up </em> <b> <em>The Curious Case of the Cursed Kingdom: A History of the Notfond Lineage</em> </b> <em> - Skeppy </em></p>
  <p>
    <em> Their missing prince is George if that helps? Send the book over when you can.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>oh my gosh what a surprise it's george notfound :O<br/>yeah . hopefully that was enough to make up for my 2 month absence ! i promise to have a chapter out by may, but it might be really short like 5k-10k ish :( i dont wanna keep you guys waiting again!! </p><p>please leave a comment if you're free i love talking to you guys!! :D or even drop a kudos if you haven't already!! or subscribe!! or whatever ao3 does<br/>thank you guys for reading &lt;3 kissy face </p><p>follow me on twitter: @ashabasura if you want to ! or frogygogy on tumblr<br/>goodbye and see you in the next chapter :D</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading :] pls leave kudos, or a comment! i wanna know what y'all think so far!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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